


A Story of Us

by HypersomniacGrad



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: DSM makes a comeback, F/F, Humor, Original Character(s), Post-Pitch Perfect 3, Romance, bechloe - Freeform, jesse makes a guest appearance, maybe some angst?, mentions of staubrey, pitch perfect 4, so do the trebles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-12 20:54:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 95,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29141841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HypersomniacGrad/pseuds/HypersomniacGrad
Summary: Beca, now a successful artist/music producer, looks back at the last five years she spent without the Bellas. While all her dreams have seemingly come true, Beca realizes she's missing the most important thing of all. Celebrations and an invitation to a special competition bring the Bellas back together, giving Beca the chance she needs to set things right.
Relationships: Chloe Beale/Beca Mitchell
Comments: 191
Kudos: 105





	1. The Last Five Years

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beca Mitchell has found everything she could ever want, living the successful life of a famous artist and music producer. But all the success in the world couldn't make up for what she lost in her pursuit of her dreams - Chloe Beale.
> 
> Chloe, likewise, has tried to move on, wanting to support her best friend's success, but after five years apart, she wonders if she still even have a place in Beca Mitchell's life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings, fellow pitches. I have returned, resurfacing from… well… whatever the hell 2020 was…
> 
> I’m writing this because I miss pitch perfect and Bechloe in general and I wanted to course-correct the ending of PP3 because let’s face it, Bechloe should have been canon since the first movie. Anyways, this is what I come up with to make them canon in the still imaginary fourth movie.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy. Comments and reviews are always welcome. Like, seriously. It motivates me to finish chapters faster.
> 
> I don’t own pitch perfect.

Beca tightened her scarf as she walked around central park. She let out a chuckle as her playlist started the next song on queue; timed perfectly as she actually entered the park's premises. The universe felt like it was trying to tell her something.

 _Staring down an endless avenue_ _  
_ _The sun lasting the night, the end of June_ _  
_ _Even in the crowds I find I'm always looking out for you_

She had just finished recording an interview for a late night show about her upcoming projects as well promote the last single on her last album that was about to be released. Behind her, she was being shadowed by her bodyguard, Rob. He's been with her the last three years but she was still getting used to the fact that she's gotten that much famous. For a while back, having Rob around her was a necessity to stop her fans from mobbing her everywhere she went. She's been on a crazy roller coaster ride ever since, possibly even before that.

 _One man band still playing by the lights_ _  
_ _This time around something just don't feel right_ _  
_ _Heart-shaped bulb above my head_ _  
_ _The things I should've said, you never knew_

It's been five years. Five years since she last saw the Bellas in person. Five years since that fateful night on a world tour with her found family. Five years since her life had changed. All the dreams she's ever wished for when she was little and more came true. It's been a crazy five years of album recordings, launches, parties, interviews, dinners with executives, and meetings for collaborations. It's also been five years since she's last been to New York and had time to just roam around the city and reminisce, think back to the times that she last visited the park.

So much has changed since then. Of the Bellas, she only ever got to see Amy, and that's mostly due to her embracing her heiress lifestyle. But even that was rare. She's been so busy with work, and all the changes in her life that it was too late when she noticed the time passing her by. The last she actually had the chance to speak with the Bellas was two years ago during lockdown. Her PR agent encouraged her idea of doing a collaboration video with her friends as a fundraiser for UNICEF, what with the virus that swept the world turning everything upside down and all. Before that, the texts, the video messages, the group chats and all had already started to die down. The video was a hit, and Beca found the perfect excuse to summon her friends and re-establish that line of communication. She managed to wrangle control of her social media accounts from her PR agent and for a while, it was like the old days again.

But nothing was perfect. Real life happened. They all tried to stay in touch, and as much as Beca hated it, she was the first to get consumed by the busy life and times of a famous artist and music producer. Businesses grew, projects demanded their time, and of course, love lives kept the girls busy too. The eye roll that accompanied that thought was mostly due to a certain Bella's, but Beca buried the thought deep down in the darkest recesses of her mind, not wanting to even be reminded by it. Sure there were still season's greetings and happy birthday messages, but they came in less and less.

They grew further apart with each passing month, each passing year, and Beca feared that the family she had found were now nothing but a cherished memory. It was to no one's fault at all, she knew that but she feared that because of it, she was also now further away from the one thing that she let slip from her hands. She misses the Bellas, and yes the video was a silver-lining to her crappy year back then, but the real reason was painfully obvious. She misses Chloe.

 _You're burned onto my mind like a tattoo_ _  
_ _I'll shoot an arrow straight down Fifth Avenue_ _  
_ _The fortune teller says, "Let go of the road but sail across the blue"_

Amy manages to check in with their pals more than she could, and she would sometimes give Beca updates about them, their former roommate. Last she heard from Amy, Chloe settled down in Atlanta where Aubrey and Stacie were. Beca couldn't bare ask more, just the mere thought of what's-his-face, the guy she caught Chloe kissing, made her stomach churn. She wasn't even sure if they were still together. She wanted Chloe to be happy, but Beca wasn't sure she could ever handle hearing the confirmation that she found happiness with a guy she just met on their tour with the military. It was partially her pride that's to blame their, she knew that.

She wished she tried harder to change how things went down. Sometimes she'd think back and wish Beca just built the courage to grab Chloe away and kissed her instead.

She wished she didn't let the fear of getting hurt stop her from trying to stay in touch harder, or that the jealousy that took over her didn't let her re-establish some of her walls. It was easier to just let herself be consumed by the prospects of the bright future she faced, and to let her new life consume her.

She also wished they had a more proper goodbye back then. She was swept of her feet with the promise of a bigger and brighter future, and Beca couldn't do much but go along with the ride. As soon as they arrived back from their trip, Beca was asked to pack her bags by her manager and she was jetted of to LA, where she has lived since then. The last thing she said to Chloe in person was promise of catching dinner again, and going on one of their long walks around the park.

That broken promise, one still left unfulfilled, was pretty much what's at the forefront of Beca's mind, every time she had the time to breathe.

 _I got half that photograph_ _  
_ _The Empire State above the stars_ _  
_ _You've still got yours, let's put them back together_ _  
_ _And let's stay here forever_

She has everything she could ever want now. But somehow none of them compared to living in a dingy apartment with Chloe, sharing a bed together when Amy moved in. Those long nights when her mind won't let her sleep because Chloe likes to cuddle, and she's so close that Beca couldn't help feel the things she felt back then. Or those moments when they'd just meet up at the park, waiting for Amy, and they would just talk – about their worries and fears for the future, complaining about their jobs, bosses, and clients. Or those moments when it felt like their budget was spread thin because living in the city was ridiculously expensive.

Beca found soon herself standing in front of the Bethesda Fountain, imagining those days she spent having nothing but Chloe's company keeping her sane and giving her the strength to face the uncertainties of tomorrow. It's like her feet had a mind of its own, wanting to revisit the places she frequented with Chloe, her soul searching for the redhead in the sea of strangers she's ran into.

Yes, she's got it all now. Yet somehow, Beca knows she'd give it all up. All so she could relive those simple days.

 _I see you standing in a sea of sparks_ _  
_ _We'll find our way back to the start, oh_

Because everything without Chloe?

Without the person you love?

 _Oh, I'll make my way back to Central Park_ _  
_ _Trace the pieces of my broken heart_ _  
_ _I'm chasing down a falling star_ _  
_ _To where you are_ _  
_ _I'm held together by your memory_ _  
_ _Baby, won't you just come back to me?_ _  
_ _I'll trace the pieces of my broken heart_ _  
_ _Back to Central Park_

Beca will never stop cursing the day she woke up with the clarity of the truth in her heart. Why did it take her so long to realize? How was she so blind? How did she not see what was right in front of her all this time, right within her grasps back then? Why did she realize the truth of what she felt for her best friend now that her chances had gone and slipped away?

"Beca," Theo, her manager, called her. The only reason she really heard him was because the song was coming to its end. For minute or two, Beca mulled over whether or not she'd pretend to not have heard him. She didn't to leave just yet.

But Theo persisted, and Beca takes off her earbuds and places them in the pockets of her blazer. "We need to leave soon," he then said.

Beca nodded, looking over to young woman, playing a song with her guitar, busking at the corner of the fountain. "Gimme' a sec," she replied, nodding over to the young artist, wanting to have an excuse to linger for even just a minute longer.

 _If only wishes could be dreams_ _  
_ _And all my dreams could come true_ _  
_ _There would be two of us standing here in front of you_ _  
_ _If you could show me that someone that I used to be_ _  
_ _Bring back my baby, my baby to me (my baby to me)_

Beca's phone buzzed and she saw the message from Amy reminding her that she better not be leaving New York soon. Amy was getting married in a few days, and Beca's already missed her bachelorette party because of work commitments. She jotted down a quick reply, promising she wouldn't miss this for the world.

 _Mirror, Mirror hanging on the wall_ _  
_ _You don't have to tell me_ _  
_ _Who's the biggest fool of al_ _  
_ _Mirror, Mirror I wish you could lie to me  
And bring my baby back,_ _  
_ _Bring my baby back to me_

After all, she had to set a few things right.

* * *

_Love, take me by the arm  
Fly with me in this night  
Run to me through the stars  
Lay softly in this light_

Chloe sighed, sitting by the window pain as she watched rain leave droplets on the glass. She was hoping the weather would clear up in time for their flight to New York tomorrow afternoon.

_Love, love, love  
Let's be bold  
Let's be daring at the ball  
So, so, so  
They will stare  
It's never bothered me before._

A lot of things weighed heavily on her mind. Listening to Beca's latest song as it finished playing on the radio wasn't exactly help her get the clarity she needed either. If anything, it only drove her crazy.

_Run with me  
Follow me into this dream  
Where our dance will blind them all...  
To their doubts, to my faults  
Run with me_

It's been five years. Five long years since Beca left New York for good, and since the Bellas had one final moment together. So many things have changed since then. Some good, like Chloe finding her calling as a vet. Some bad, like how the Bellas mostly lost touch. It wasn't for the lack of trying, and while still check in on each other once every couple of months or so, but it just wasn't the same anymore. Sure, they caught up during Amy's bachelorette party, but that doesn't really count since no one actually remembered anything that happened that night. Besides, Beca wasn't even in attendance then. She was still in touch of Aubrey, of course that would never change. They've been through a lot together, best friends for life. After a year of trying to actually make something of her failed relationship with Chicago and Chloe found herself awkwardly living with an ex-boyfriend for an extra month, moving back to Atlanta with Aubrey was almost a no-brainer. Her best friend warmly welcomed her in her humble home, one that she was shockingly sharing with Stacie and her daughter without telling anyone. Chloe has since moved into her own apartment across the hall, all while the two former-Bellas were still playing house with each other.

She was happy for Aubrey and Stacie, of course she was, but their whole situation made her miss a certain Beca Mitchell even more than she did before. Beca who slowly stopped responding to group messages. Beca who couldn't even keep promises to see the Bellas because of her work engagements. The last time she's seen Beca was during a video call to arrange her plan for a fundraiser video during COVID. Even then, one of her agents took control of the conversation while Theo, who became her manager, kept distracting her, reminding her of other things that required her attention. She even missed Amy's bachelorette party a few months back in Atlanta because something came up. All the Bellas somehow managed to make it despite the lack of constant communication. All except the one she cared about the most.

It bothered Chloe more than she cared to admit it.

Because seeing how Aubrey and Stacie's relationship blossomed constantly reminded her of Beca the lie they've shared in New York both before and Amy joined them. It reminded her of something she never had. Something she almost had and missed out on.

Now all that's left was an ache that won't go away. An empty place in her heart where she thought Beca would always be. And the universe was most definitely not helping. It almost felt cruel the way she couldn't escape her. Because Beca Mitchell was everywhere. On the radio, on the TV, on freaking podcasts. Even in other songs, the ones she'd listen to or absent-mindedly sing. Chloe just couldn't escape her.

_You say you're leaving as you look away  
I know there's really nothin' left to say  
Just know I'm here  
Whenever you need me  
I'll wait for you_

The thought of seeing her again soon for Amy's wedding made Chloe feel anxious. It felt like there was a great distance between them now that she wasn't sure how to cross. She wasn't even sure which she would hate more, Beca bailing out again or finding out just how much Beca has changed. Was she even still her best friend? Does she even still matter to Beca?

Chloe wasn't sure if she's ready to find out the answers. Life decided to take them on a separate journey just when things started getting better for them. Chloe thought they'd still be in each other's lives no matter what, she found it rather disappointing that it was not the case.

Or maybe it's because of a stupid decision she made, all stemming from the lack of control she felt over her life. The frustrations she felt of being stuck with Beca in a safe place were neither one of them seemed to want to cross the line. In Chloe's defense, it wasn't like she didn't try. She just wasn't sure if Beca even understood her attempts in the first place.

Now she's found her place in a world without acapella, without the Bellas keeping close to each other, and without Beca.

_Take your time I won't go anywhere  
Picture you with the wind in your hair  
I'll keep your things right where you left 'em  
I'll be here for you_

Chloe bit her lip and closed her eyes remembering that final shining shimmering moments under the stage lights after Beca invited them on stage. She was proud of her, of Beca finally living the dream. But it came with such a bittersweet feeling. She felt like she was slipping away, and Chloe was afraid she would be left behind. When Beca pulled her in for a hug, she wished she had the courage that Jesse had back then. She wished she just kissed her and let her know the way Beca made her feel. But she didn't, and when Beca let her go, it felt like a silent goodbye, intended or not.

Maybe that's why she clung onto her pursuit of their military security detail. She didn't want Beca to leave her behind, that's why she took the first step towards something new. She got tired of waiting, of trying to figure out what the stolen glances meant, or those quiet moments where they run out of words and they just stare into each other's eyes, a silent understanding of what the other was thinking.

_I'll set you free  
And when you see what you need to see  
When you find you  
Come back to me_

The trip they took felt like a final tour, their last hurrah before grew up and left Barden behind.

Chloe wiped away the tears she felt silently running down her cheeks. Why does she always have to be the one who cries?

She hated how different things were now. Sure, she still doesn't know how to feel about what was to come after Amy's wedding, but she told herself she shouldn't let the lingering sadness get to her. She was going to see her Bellas again. And maybe right now, apart is how things should be, but Chloe knew that one day, when push comes to shove, they would all come together for each other again.

The problem though was that every one of the Bellas took a piece of Chloe's heart with them. Beca taking the biggest one of them all.

_So I'll let you go_

And all that's left now is the growing presence of Beca's absence in her life.

_And I hope you find everything that you need  
I'll be right here waiting to see  
You find you  
Come back to me_

Chloe smiled softly to herself. It was also raining when she moved with Beca to New York, reminding her of the humble beginnings of their life in the city. Those seemingly carefree days felt so far away now and all she has left were countless of photographs that always got her so emotional to look at. That and the lingering questions of what if's and maybe's between her and her best friend that she never did find an answer to.

The lingering question of if she, maybe, loved her too.

_When you find you come back to me._

Chloe chuckled as she heard the next song on the radio. Her trip down memory lane taking her back to the start. The sweet promise of a new beginning back then. A fateful encounter that changed her life forever. One whose memory made her make a new promise to herself.

 _You shout it out, but_ _  
_ _I can't hear a word you say_

She may not know what was going to happen next, but Chloe doesn't want to live with the ghosts of missed chances, lost opportunities, and unanswered what if's and maybe's anymore.

She was going to get the answers she was looking for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course songs were included. Can I ever write a fic without songs? Songs used in the chapter include Central Park (by Union J), Mirror Mirror (by M2M), A Story of Us (by Chris Lind),Come Back to Me (by David Cook), and Titanium (by David Guetta ft. Sia). I decided to use the song by Chris Lind for the sake of this fic as a single by Beca. I wrote poems, and maybe I can throw that in, but I’d rather point out to a song already on YouTube so you guys can give it a listen to (kinda like how Flashlight ended up being a song released by Jessie J). The song was used in Smallville years ago. It’s also the title of this fic ;3
> 
> How have all of you been, dearly beloved readers? I’ve been busy writing my own OG story the past year and decided to take a break (I finished book one, it’s in the editing process, and I plan to start book two soon). While organizing a playlist for the final chapters of the first book of my OG series, I figured out the pitch perfect plot for PP4 (they should seriously consider hiring me, how do I apply to write it? Someone wanna give me a hand here and point me in the right direction – or point them in the right fic? I kid of course… or maybe not?)
> 
> I do hope you enjoy this. I missed fic writing and the plot of this story has been in my head the past year. I just finally found the missing pieces to make things work over the last week… so… yes, this is a spontaneous decision. I hope to maintain updating the fic consistently. For now, updates will be every Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays, except when otherwise noted (it works best for my work sched). As a bonus treat, chapter 2 will be up in a little while. The fic should be around my usual 25 chapters.
> 
> PS: Yes, they live in a post-COVID world (this is set during 2022). Let me be hopeful here.


	2. Bittersweet Reunions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Amy's bachelorette, and the Bellas are all finally reunited, minus one talented and famous DJ. But with the Bellas are the Trebles, and the former Barden rivals still need to find the answer on who is the best acapella team. In the midst of all this, Emily finds herself thinking about the past, what lies ahead, and eavesdropping on a conversation between one of the Bellas former captains and one of the Treble's own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Here’s chapter 2! This one’s a short one (because the next one is gonna be a long one), and makes use of an old mash-up I used for my second fic ever called “The Red String of Fate.” Bringing it back here because I love the original version of it a lot. See the notes below for proper credit.
> 
> This is Emily’s chapter.
> 
> Hope you enjoy! Comments are always appreciated and welcomed.

Emily sat next to Benji on the table in the private hall of some fancy restaurant in New York for Amy and Bumper’s rehearsal dinner. The last she saw the Bellas was a few months ago during Amy’s bachelorette, but no one really had much of a clear recollection of what happened during that trip. For some odd reason, no one took pictures or videos or posted anything online either – something that Emily believes is all for the best. Tonight was a more proper reunion for all of them. They rarely had the chance to chat and catch up these days, what with being dispersed around the country – world for Amy and Beca, since they constantly travelled.

Amy was currently busy telling her guests the story of how she got back together with Bumper for the umpteenth time and how this time, they knew for sure, they were meant to be. Friends and family alike were all in attendance. The only notable absence was that of one Beca Mitchell, but apparently she messaged Amy ahead of time that she got pulled to cover for a friend for something and that they were all going to meet later on. Chloe, who currently sat next to Emily, looked a little disappointed about the news, but Amy was quick to point out that Beca already texted her the address of where they’ll be meeting and that she’s gonna message her again when they should head on over. Beca had planned for some evening fun, or so Amy claimed. Aubrey wanted to protest since the wedding was tomorrow, but Stacie was quick to point out that since Amy and Bumper wanted to have a wedding under the stars - or in this case, lights from the Manhattan skyline since no stars could possibly appear from the light pollution – then it didn’t matter if they had a bit of a late night. As long as things don’t get out of hand that is.

Amy and Bumper’s story have now gone back to the time they met. One Bumper’s aunts wanted to know the romantic story behind them. Cynthia Rose chuckled next to Benji after hearing Jessica’s comment about sticking to the PG-13 version of that tale.

Next to Cynthia Rose, Stacie was busy showing pictures of her daughter, Bella, to Ashley who in turn was starting to wonder why Stacie’s daughter shared many pictures with Aubrey. For that matter, the two still haven’t explained why she’s currently staying with Aubrey’s parents during this trip. Based on how Stacie kept finding ways to not so innocently touch Aubrey earlier, Emily could already guess at the answer. The two Bellas kept mum about things though.

As the story did, in fact get graphic, Flo, who sat across Emily, turned next to Cynthia Rose and asked about where her wife was. “She’s busy with her shifts at the hospital and couldn’t take time off,” was the simple explanation she gave, her wife being a nurse.

“How about you, Jess? Where’s the missus?” Benji, her boyfriend, asked the former Treble.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t bring her here because of the possibility of running into your ex?” Donald then chimed in. That was the first thing he actually said all night, having spent most of it glaring at Lilly’s date. Amy had already made an earlier joke at how, after she was set free from her possession, the formerly quiet and strange Bella had become somewhat of a heartthrob. The comment made due to the fact that Lilly now had an FBI agent boyfriend that she brought as a date, all tall and handsome, who was currently keeping his eyes on two of her exes in their dinner party. Donald, and the DJ for their little party, the one that Lilly met during their USO tour.

The rest of the Trebles overheard Donald’s comment and started teasing Jesse about his now famous ex-girlfriend. Beca’s made quite a name for herself, from collaborative projects, to behind-the-scenes works in producing albums for many famous artists, to her successful albums. The teasing mostly came from the fact that some of Beca’s most popular singles talked about a love that she lost – although if anyone asked Emily, the lyrics mostly felt like they were about _someone_ Beca missed out on being with rather than an ex-whatever.

Chloe took a visibly large gulp of her wine as she overheard the conversation. Jesse looked a bit guilty, quickly denying the allegations the Trebles made. Aubrey, wanting to ease things up, decided to jump in and sway the conversation from who the songs were about to which acapella team the now famous DJ-slash-producer-slash-recording artist came from.

“I guess that just proves the Bellas were the best group in Barden,” Aubrey stated matter-of-factly.

“I beg to disagree, Posen,” Bumper replied, hearing Aubrey’s comment.

Aubrey shrugged, “I don’t see any famous Trebles in the room.”

“Technically speaking, Mitchell isn’t here either,” Donald pointed out.

“Oh, don’t worry, I brought the cardboard print out of her we ended up getting from the bachelorette party. It’s in the limo,” Amy then pointed.

“Why did we get a cardboard print out of Beca again?” Cynthia Rose asked.

Jessica and Ashley both looked confused themselves. Stacie shrugged, not knowing the answer either. None of the Bellas did. They just woke up in Amy’s yacht the next day with the cardboard printout chilling on the deck wearing Stacie’s sunglasses. No one knows who got it, and no one remembers why either.

But then again, all the Bellas pretty much blacked out from the events of that night.

“I say let’s settle which acapella team reigns supreme, right here, right now,” Bumper said, and the Trebles readily got up. Jesse shook his head at their antics, while Benji started apologizing to the guests and asked if they could help move the tables and chairs around to create a space for two of Barden’s former teams to face off.

“Oh, you’re on,” Aubrey replied, the Bellas all fired up and ready to back up their former captain.

Aubrey turned to the Bellas, while Bumper turned to the Trebles, the two groups huddled together at their own sides of the room while Benji and Jesse helped the guests to square things away.

“Lilly, give me a beat,” Aubrey commanded, and Lilly obliged. Aubrey started to sing, backed by Jessica, Ashley and Cynthia Rose, the rest of the Bellas clapping their hands to the beat of the song.

_If your lips are moving, If your lips are moving  
then you're lyin', lyin', lyin', baby  
then you're lyin', lyin', lyin', baby  
then you're lyin', lyin', lyin', baby_

But then Bumper jumped in with the Trebles, Donald facing off directly against Lilly.

_This hit, that ice cold  
Michelle Pfeiffer, that white gold  
This one for them hood girls  
Them good girls straight masterpieces  
Stylin', whiln', livin' it up in the city  
Got Chucks on with Saint Laurent  
Got kiss myself, I'm so pretty_

Amy took over Aubrey, marching over to Bumper, the two acapella teams facing off with mash-up as the Bellas and Trebles both maintained their melodies, the two songs mixing in ways that Emily knew would make Beca proud.

_You can buy me diamond earrings and deny-ny-ny, ny-ny-ny, deny-ny  
But I smell her on your collar so goodbye-bye-bye, bye-bye-bye_

Bumper responded to Amy’s singing, pulling two Trebles that Emily could barely recall to back him up and match his dance moves.

_I'm too hot (hot damn)  
Called a police and a fireman  
I'm too hot (hot damn)  
Make a dragon wanna' retire man  
I'm too hot (hot damn)  
Say my name you know who I am  
I'm too hot (hot damn)  
Am I bad 'bout that money, break it down_

Jesse and Benji then jumped in, getting into the mash-up face-off.

_Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)  
Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)  
Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)  
'Cause uptown funk gon' give it to you  
'Cause uptown funk gon' give it to you  
'Cause uptown funk gon' give it to you  
Saturday night and we in the spot  
Don't believe me just watch (come on)_

But the Bellas weren’t going to back down, with Stacie stepping forward to reclaim the spotlight for the Bellas.

_If your lips are moving, If your lips are moving  
then you're lyin', lyin', lyin', baby  
then you're lyin', lyin', lyin', baby  
then you're lyin', lyin', lyin', baby_

Chloe and Aubrey joined Stacie, the Bellas starting to dance along to the music they were making with their mouths.

_I know you lie  
Cause your lips are moving  
Tell me do you think I'm dumb?_

Bumper tried to take back the reigns, jumped in to face the Bellas.

_Don't believe me just watch_

But this time, Emily was the one who stole the show.

_I might be young, but I ain't stupid  
Talking around in circles with your tongue_

Benji pulled Jesse to support Bumper, the Bellas and Trebles all having fun with their impromptu song number.

_Don't believe me just watch  
Don't believe me just watch  
Don't believe me just watch  
Hey, hey, hey, oh_

But Amy decided to turn things around on the Trebles, stealing the lyrics from their song while some of the Bellas adopted the beat.

_Uptown funk you up  
Uptown funk you up (say what?)_

However, the Trebles weren’t going to back down and joined them with the chorus.

_Uptown funk you up  
Uptown funk you up  
Saturday night and we in the spot  
Don't believe me just watch (come on)_

And of course, the guests goes wild. It wasn’t everyday they were treated to an aca-amazing performance.

After their little number, the Bellas and Trebles all start mingling with each other again, grabbing a drink or pulling up a seat to chat. The one topic on their lips? How it felt amazing to perform again in years. It’s been a while since Emily also sang in front of a crowd. She hasn’t been a Bella in years, focusing on getting an MA – her first attempt to delay facing the real world – and then an MBA while working part-time. She started to feel what Chloe, when she kept purposefully failing to stay at Barden, and some of the others undoubtedly felt too, about her future. Benji had a steady job, and they’ve started living together, and some of the Bellas had even asked about when they would get married. For Emily, those things were all set for the future. The problem was, that the future was starting to dawn on them fast and it made her anxious and antsy. Somehow, spending time with the Bellas made her forget all the worries, and she remembered the own courage they found to face tomorrow.

But singing though… She’d do anything to perform with the Bellas one more time – the ones made up of her unofficial big sisters, in particular. They just haven’t find the time to do so, even just for fun.

From what she could hear of the conversations around her, the Bellas felt the same way. The Trebles too.

It was especially evident with Amy and Bumper who decided to keep going, singing to each other while the rest took a break.

_Oh don't you dare look back  
Just keep your eyes on me.  
I said you're holding back  
She said shut up and dance with me  
And if you want, hey girl (boy), you got me  
There's nothing I know I wouldn't do  
Shut up and let me get up next to you_

“Let’s hope things don’t get graphic,” Emily said as Benji joined her, and her boyfriend chuckled. He handed her a drink, one that she happily accepted after their little impromptu performance. As she took a sip, Emily noticed Jesse and Chloe chatting up, three seats away. She knew that they’ve always been on good terms because of Beca, but she was never really sure on whether that was more for show or for Beca’s sake. Most exchanges polite chitchat like earlier. This was the first time she saw them interact and actually thought that maybe in a different world, they could have been the best of friends.

_It's so hard to sleep  
I got the sheets on the floor  
Listen to me  
And I can't take it no more  
It's a hundred degrees  
I got one foot out the door  
Where are my keys?  
'Cause I gotta leave, yeah_

Jesse looked happy and excited, apologizing for the bad habits Beca never seemed to out grew and telling Chloe she shouldn’t feel nervous about seeing each other again. “Look Chloe, she did the same thing with me, sure, but that was different. Remember our senior year at Barden and your first year in New York, my first year in LA?”

_We were victims of the night,  
The chemical, physical, kryptonite  
Helpless to the bass and faded light  
Oh we were bound to get together,  
Bound to get together._

_She took my arm  
I don't know how it happened  
We took the floor and she said_

Emily kept her eyes on Amy and Bumpers almost theatrical duet, but her ears were glued to the conversation near her. She didn’t mean to pry, but she couldn’t help it. This was what the Bellas trained her to do her first year at Barden, especially when it came to Beca and Chloe. She was their spy or sorts, one that would not be suspicious to the two co-captains. Old habits die hard.

“What does that have to do with anything?” she heard Chloe ask Jesse.

_Boy, you're the one [Oh don't you dare look back]  
I want you to want me [Just keep your eyes on me]  
And if you want, hey boy, you got me [I said you're holding back]  
There's nothing I know I wouldn't do, I wouldn't do [She said shut up and dance with me]  
Just to get up next you_

Somewhere in the room, one of the guests gasped. Amy and Bumper were getting extra suggestive with innuendos thanks to their dance moves.

Emily found herself torn. Mostly because she found that she couldn’t quite tear her eyes away from Amy and Bumper while she couldn’t also stop listening to Chloe and Jesse’s conversation. “Our relationship started suffering then. Her relationship with you and the Bellas though, well with you in particular, took a heavier toll. Why? Because Beca cared more for you. She tried harder with you. She wanted to balance things out, not let you down, and all. I just sort of accepted things as they were until it became easier to be apart.”

_Deep in her eyes  
I think I see the future  
I realize this is my last chance_

“Jess, I’m sorry,” Chloe replied sincerely.

Jesse gave a good humored chuckle. “Oh Chloe, you don’t have to. After so many years, I think I should be the one apologizing to you.”

_Girl, you're the one  
I want you to want me  
And if you want, hey girl, you got me  
There's nothing I know I wouldn't do, I wouldn't do  
Just to get up next you_

Amy and Bumper’s show for their guest started to become interactive as the two danced around the reserved private room while engaging their friends and family. The Trebles started backing Bumper up while Jessica, Ashley, and Flo got pulled in my Amy. It distracted Emily for a brief second, missing part of Chloe’s conversation with Jesse. When she tuned back in, she just heard Chloe say that he wasn’t a villain at all, so he shouldn’t call himself that. Jesse settled with calling himself a complication to the plot.

_Oh don't you dare look back  
Just keep your eyes on me  
I said you're holding back  
He said shut up and dance with me_

Stacie pulled Aubrey to join in. The performance becoming a sequel of their earlier impromptu musical face off. Emily nursed her drink and pretended to be too tired, wanting to get a better idea of what Jesse and Chloe were talking about. Benji seemed contented with recording the whole thing on his phone for posterity.

“You need to understand, Chloe,” she heard Jesse say. “None of those songs were about me, or for me, and Beca doesn’t need to tell me that to know that it’s the truth.”

“Yeah? Well then who are they for? What’s his name again… it’s been a while… right! Theo?”

“Who’s Theo?” Jesse looked at her confused. “No, Chloe. Come on. The answer should be obvious.”

_Oh don't you dare look back  
Just keep your eyes on me.  
I said you're holding back  
She said shut up and dance with me_

Emily had to bite her lip to fight the smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. She’s never said anything. The Bellas either, but they most definitely have gotten into their fair share of trouble trying to prove if _it_ is real. The way Chloe’s conversation with Jesse was going, she could already tell what Jesse was trying to tell her. The plain and obvious truth in the songs Beca had released over the years, the quiet moments between their co-captains back in their house at Barden that they would stumble upon, everything. She wanted to shake Chloe up for even trying to think there was any other answer that Jesse was hinting at.

_And if you want, hey girl, you got me  
There's nothing I know I wouldn't do_

Amy’s phone buzzed. She took a quick glance on her screen, a big grin on her face. “Come on pitches, our long night of fun is just about to get started,” she said, calling on the other Bellas to head on out and leave.

“Hey, wait…” Bumper called out. “Our duet...”

“We’ll finish what we’ve started tomorrow,” Amy hurriedly said, shooting Bumper a wink as she pulled onto Emily and Chloe.

_Shut up and let me get up next to you_

Bumper sang, mostly to himself as Amy shoved Chloe and Emily out the door of the private hall, the rest of the Bellas already ahead of them.

“Chloe, wait,” Jesse then said, running towards them. Benji was close behind him, wanting to say a quick goodbye to Emily.

Amy looked like she was about to tell Jesse off but Emily convinced her to go on ahead. “I’ll wait for Chloe, we’ll catch up.”

“I’m holding you to that promise, Legacy,” Amy replied.

Jesse watched as Amy went on ahead. Emily lingered a few steps away from Chloe and Jesse to give them some sort of privacy, asking Benji what his plans were with the boys that night. But Emily didn’t hear any of Benji’s reply at all. Her ears were still glued to Chloe and Jesse.

“Say hi to Beca for me, okay?” Jesse said while Chloe nodded along. “Oh, and Chloe, about the songs and who they are for… there’s only one correct answer to that, and you’ve known the answer for a long time now. There’s only one person Beca shines for.”

Chloe let out a nervous chuckle. “Time changes people, Jess,” she replied before saying her goodbyes and ushering Emily along.

They were about to have a long night ahead of them, and Emily was hoping that Jesse’s words just prove themselves true tonight. God knows, they’ve all waited long enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the Uptown Funk/Your Lips are Moving and Shut Up and Dance/Want to Want Me mash-ups featured in this fic when the Bellas and the Trebles have a little battle of the aca-egos and the duet Amy decided to do with Bumper are by Sam Tsui. I stumbled upon it a few years back. Send some love to his YouTube channel and check out his other mash-up videos. I promise they are all worth it.


	3. All About Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Bellas head to a nightclub where Beca plays a special set for the evening. Amy and Stacie start freaking out with Beca's set-list, but Chloe doesn't care much, she was too in the moment of just being within reach of the now famous former Bella. 
> 
> Beca takes the opportunity to play a set at the nightclub with personally handpicked songs for Chloe, hoping that she could express what she wanted to say in music better than she could with words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm too ambitious for my own good… Anyways, here is chapter 3. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Not all chapters are gonna have songs, but most of them will most likely contain a snipper or two at the very minimum. It's more to create a certain ambiance, shall we say, and since I can't upload a story with a *click here* hyperlink to play the right song at the right time, I have to jot down the lyrics. Still, I hope you appreciate it!
> 
> Again, updates will be Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays. Those days work best for me with my current workload, but I'll try to get to an every other day/everyday upload sched soon.
> 
> Always love hearing back from y'all about what you think of the story.

Amy didn't tell the Bellas where they were going. She simply called on her driver when they stepped out of the restaurant and within minutes a stretch limousine was parked in front of them. Chloe could feel herself getting all nervous as they drove around the city, listening to the chitchat between the girls. Amy explained that while she hasn't seen Beca much, they do run into each other at parties of the rich and famous once in a while. It allowed them to stay in touch more often than she can with the rest.

"But she's always working, even during parties," Amy said with a frown. "Everyone wants a piece of Shawshank, even that guy from the movie. Morgan Freeman wanted her to perform for a private party for his family, would you believe it? To be honest, I'm not sure how Beca still gets some rest."

"Maybe we should lend her the cardboard Mitchell," Aubrey joked, "to escape some time and all."

"Seriously, what happened that night?" Jessica then asked. Even Chloe herself completely blacked out, having no memory of the night of the bachelorette party whatsoever, and Chloe could handle the hard stuff quite well. She probably had the highest alcohol tolerance in the group, with only Stacie as a strong contender.

Oh well, so long as they didn't do anything illegal.

The Bellas arrived at their destination before anyone else can make a comment about the mysterious night of Amy's bachelorette party. They arrived at one of the hottest clubs in New York, quite the fitting place to meet Beca if anyone asked Chloe, and walked past the long wait line. Amy simply said that they were here to meet Beca and they were ushered into a VIP room, complete with a private bar and a view of the dancefloor below. Up on stage was the house DJ, behind him a screen with a live blown up projected image of himself. He was apologizing to the crowd that Calvin Harris couldn't make it that night but that he did everyone a favor and called someone better.

The Bellas had just barely gotten settled when the house DJ introduced Beca Mitchell. Stacie turned to ask Amy if she knew. The bride-to-be shrugged. "I guess this is what Beca meant by a fun night ahead."

The house DJ kept on talking, introducing Beca's set as she got ready, and said that she'll be playing stuff from artists she had recently worked with. That got the crowd in high spirits. When Beca was ready to start, the house DJ hyped up the already excited crowd, leaving things off with a "Don't forget about my request!" comment that Beca simply gave a thumbs up to.

_If you don't wanna see me_

Beca started playing her set and everyone – and Chloe was by no means exaggerating when she say everyone – started to go wild, hitting the dance floor and singing along.

_Did a full 180, crazy  
Thinking 'bout the way I was  
Did the heartbreak change me? Maybe  
But look at where I ended up  
I'm all good already  
So moved on, it's scary  
I'm not where you left me at all, so_

From the get go, Chloe could tell from the beats that the song was going to be a mash-up. Beca never did lose her special Mitchell touch when it came to music. She was still all kinds of badass, and when the crowd realized the little mash-up treat, they just cheered on louder and partied harder.

_If you don't wanna see me dancing with somebody_

_I was born like this, don't even gotta try (Now you know)_

_If you wanna believe that anything could stop me_

_Heard you say I'm not the baddest bitch, you lie_

Chloe couldn't help but smile. Aubrey stood next to her from where she was watching Beca, handing her a drink. She was saying something, noting how talented Beca really was, but Chloe couldn't make out much of the words that actually left Aubrey's mouth. She was too busy watching Beca have fun on stage, swaying a little to the music, enjoying the little masterpiece she had created and shared with the world that night.

_Don't show up_

_It ain't my fault that I'm out here getting loose  
Gotta blame it on the Goose  
Gotta blame it on my juice, baby_

_Walk away_

_It ain't my fault that I'm out here making news  
I'm the pudding in the proof  
Gotta blame it on my juice_

Chloe couldn't help but smile and be proud. They've come a long way from their adventures at Barden, and, despite the distance between them that Beca's success had created – and to that extension, some of Chloe's own questionable decisions – she would always feel that pride for how far she's come.

The Bellas all started having fun, dancing along and enjoying the privacy of their VIP room for their private party. If this was how Beca wanted to make up for bailing out on them during the bachelorette party, and for earlier, it would seem she's already forgiven.

Beca played the whole song and as it started to die down, she started mixing new different beats from the next song on queue.

_Ya-ya-ee, ya-ya-ee,_

_Don't show up_

_ya-ya-ee, ya-ya-ee_

_don't come out_

_Blame it on my juice, blame it, blame it on my juice_

_Walk away_

_Ya-ya-ee, ya-ya-ee,_

_you know how_

_ya-ya-ee, ya-ya-ee_

_Don't come out (don't come out)_

_Blame it on my juice, blame it, blame it on my juice (ooh, baby)_

Or was it another mash-up? From what Chloe could pick out in the genius mix of beats, it might just be another one. Smooth transitions seemingly blending all the songs into one.

_Feelings_

Amy and Stacie practically squealed upon hearing the first line of one of the songs in the mash-up, grabbing on to each other. Chloe looked at them curiously but the two other Bellas didn't feel like sharing to the rest of the group whatever they were whispering to each other.

They only got more excited when the other song in the mash-up revealed itself through Beca's sweet mix of rhythm.

_Shine on, diamond  
Don't make me wait another day  
'Cause passion is passion  
You know it just as well as me  
Now, let's stop running from love  
Running from love  
Let's stop, my baby  
Let's stop running from us  
Running from us  
Let's stop, my baby_

_Oh my, my, my  
I die every night with you  
Oh my, my, my  
Living for your every move_

It was Flo who couldn't take any of Amy and Stacie's excited schoolgirl reactions any longer. "What's gotten into you two?"

"I think it's because of Mitchell's set," Aubrey replied over the music. She turned her attention to Stacie, who was freaking out with Amy, "Aren't those two songs by…"

But Aubrey didn't even finish her thought before Stacie vigorously nodded her head and walked up to Aubrey, wrapping her hands around her waist and whispered what it was that Amy and herself were talking amongst themselves.

_I'm sorry that I care, care  
It's really not that fair_

_I over communicate and feel too much  
I just complicate it when I say too much  
I laugh about it, dream about that casual touch  
Sex is fire, sick and tired of acting all tough  
I'm hooked on all these feelings  
I know exactly what I'm feelin'  
This love asylum, like an island, just me and you  
Spent the night, you got me high, oh what did you do?  
I'm hooked on all these feelings_

Emily looked a little lost. While Chloe could somewhat grasp what Aubrey was about to say about the songs – she guessed that her best friend also knew who the artists were – she was a bit loss to the overreaction as well. Cynthia Rose simply chuckled at Emily. "It's okay, Legacy," she said before looking back at Chloe. "Are you still breathing there, Red?"

Chloe hummed. "Yeah, of course, just enjoying Beca's treat for all of us," she replied, trying to get a read on what Cynthia Rose was thinking.

_Oh my, my, my  
I die every night with you  
Oh my, my, my  
Living for your every move_

_I'm hooked on all these feelings_

Beca looked like she was enjoying herself, working her magic on as she weaved two more songs as the last mash-up finished. The way she set up the transitions was simply impeccable, having the rhythm and melodies interchange and combine to produce silky smooth sounds in your ears as if the songs Beca stitched together with beats were always meant to be one.

_Yeah  
I need a drink, whiskey ain't my thing  
But shit is all good_

Amy and Stacie lost it as the next mash-up started. Stacie grabbed Aubrey to dance and Amy had a giant grin plastered on her face as the two of them started singing along. Cynthia Rose couldn't help but be amused by their antics.

_I can handle things like I wish that you would  
You've been out of reach, could you explain?  
I think that you should  
What you been up to?  
Who's been loving you good?_

Apparently, even Jessica and Ashley were starting to freak out, turning to each other as if a lightbulb had turned on above their head.

Amy eyed them suspiciously, "So… you know?"

The two nodded. "How do you know about our lord and savior, the lesbian Jesus, Haley Kiyoko?"

"I know everything," Amy said all smug. "How about you two? Care to share anything?"

But they gave no reply.

_So won't you take it?  
I feel like for the first time I am not faking  
Fingers on my buttons and now you're playing  
Master of anticipation, don't you keep it all to yourself_

Stacie and Amy looked like two kids on Christmas morning, with Flo trying to de-escalate their growing excitement, reminding them that they all don't want a repeat of the last time things got out of hand.

Chloe couldn't really focus much on them as Beca's set went on. Her eyes were only focused on the former Bella setting the dance floor on fire with her magical musical ride.

_Just a touch of your love is enough  
To knock me off of my feet all week  
Just a touch of your love, oh  
Just a touch of your love, oh  
Just a touch of your love is enough  
To take control of my whole body  
Just a touch of your love, oh  
Just a touch of your love, oh_

There was a loud crash and Aubrey was quick to reprimand the two usual instigators, but Chloe missed most of what she said. Her best guess is that the table Amy jumped up on to dance crashed after Stacie joined her, the furniture not able to support their high energy performance.

_If you let him touch ya, touch ya, touch ya, touch ya, touch ya, touch ya (yeah)  
The way I used to, used to, used to, used to, used to, used to (yeah)  
Did you take him to the pier in Santa Monica  
Forget to bring a jacket, wrap up in him 'cause you wanted to?  
I'm just curious, is it serious?  
I'm just curious, is it serious?_

Chloe was starting to sway as well from where she stood near the glass window of the VIP deck, enjoying Beca's set. She noticed Beca's trademark smirk started to form on her lips from the zoomed in projection of Beca on the screen just as she started changing things up a bit.

_Do you miss me much  
Or when it's cold and we can't touch  
Do you miss the way  
When we used to lay in bed all day_

Chloe chuckled at the choice of song, wondering if that bit was meant for the Bellas.

Somewhere deep inside her, she couldn't help but wonder if it was for her. Chloe's thoughts drifting back to their days together in Barden, whenever Beca worked on a set-list, Chloe having the privilege of being the first to hear any of her new mixes.

Something changed in Beca's mannerism. She started mixing beats and rhythms, sampling multiple songs, and wove it all together to form one hell of an amazing mega-mix.

_Babe I don't want no counterfeit  
Shades cover up your eyes  
I can't read inside your mind  
But I notice all the time you spend  
Checking for other guys  
Then you look at me surprised  
With all these questions  
Where were you  
Probably doing the same things you do  
Speaking of questions, got a few  
Say the word right now_

Chloe was left speechless. She never heard something as masterful as this before. The crowd on the dance floor below were clearly loving it. Even the rest of the Bellas were left amazed.

_Drifting into outer space  
Daydream pulling me away  
Working up the nerve to say  
That I got a secret  
Yeah, I got a secret_

_All I wanna do is think about what you think about when you think about me  
All I wanna know is every night are you dreaming like, dreaming like me_

Stacie and Amy picked up on the squealing, with Flo asking them to stop whispering their "conspiracies" and share to the rest of the Bellas already.

Chloe could care any less, she was too busy being amazed by Beca. Nothing changed at all, not with her mastery over music. If anything she got better than ever before.

_'Cause tonight, the stars are shining bright  
Aligned for you and I  
No, it's not about luck  
This is all about us, this is all about us  
So why, don't we live if we're alive?  
Gotta open up our eyes  
No, it's not about luck  
This is all about us, this is all about us_

Beca kept bobbing her head along to the music, a self-satisfied smirk on her lips as she glanced down the crowd who were loving her set.

_I close my eyes, but I just can't sleep,  
No, I just can't sleep, no, no (Ohh yeah)  
I keep my pride, but I don't know why  
'Cause I don't know what is on your mind_

_Do you miss me much?_

Chloe noticed Beca looking up every once in a while, scanning the area where the VIP rooms surrounded the dancefloor from above.

_I've been thinking 'bout your skin  
And places we've never been  
Life's too short for secrets  
So I'll tell you mine  
You don't have to keep them, just know_

"I feel like this is the first time I'm really hearing Beca's mixes," Lilly then said, stepping up next to Chloe. "Was she always this good? I swear she's leveled up."

"Oh, she's just inspired," Stacie then said, joining them beaming proudly as she fixed her eyes on stage below.

_You know where you should be  
(If you miss me much)  
You could be home with me  
(If you miss me much)  
Holdin' you, Holdin' me  
(If you're missin' me)  
Come back now_

_Do you miss me much?_

"Well, inspired is what happens to someone with a muse," Amy replied with a chuckle as she took the spot next to Chloe.

_We don't even have to touch  
You already in my blood  
How you do what you do  
Baby, do what you do  
Hit me like the hardest drug  
Now my body burnin' up  
Baby, do what you do  
Yeah you give me that contact_

_High, high, high  
Yeah you give me that give me that high  
High you give me that high  
You give me, you give me that high  
You give me, you give me that yeah  
You give me that contact_

The rest of the Bellas joined them, just watching in awe. Eargasmic beats filling every corner of the club. Beca looked up, and she seemed to have finally found what she was looking for as she smiled towards the Bellas in the booth. Everyone noticed and started waving down at her. Beca chuckled, shaking her head. She briefly looked away before returning her gaze back at them, a light smile on her face.

Chloe smiled back. For some reason, she felt that smile was just for her. All the anxiety that had her all tightly wound about seeing Beca again were whisked away in that moment. Beca knew how to set up one hell of a reunion.

_You put me over the limit  
I'm so messed up, yeah, you did it  
I'm out of my mind, I'm out of my mind  
I'm out of my mind  
And I love it_

And Chloe was most definitely experiencing a high from it.

* * *

Beca found herself being swept off the floor by Amy as soon as she opened the door to join the Bellas in their VIP room. "That was amazing, Shawshank!"

"Amy, you're crushing me," Beca managed to squeak from her best friend's tight bear hug. As soon as she was set down, however, the rest of the Bellas rushed towards her for their own hugs, congratulations, and warm welcome backs.

Suffice to say that the Bellas missed Beca as much as she missed them.

There was one Bella who was waiting on the corner of the room though. "I have to admit, Beca that was impressive," Chloe said with the smile that Beca craved to see for the last how many years.

Just hearing her voice again, live and coming from the same room as her was enough to send electricity running down her spine.

"Don't I get a hug, Beale?" Beca then said, as soon as she was freed from the Bellas. She made her way towards Chloe, anticipating one of Chloe's personal-space-invading hugs that Beca always pretended to resist but secretly always loved.

Chloe chuckled. "I don't know, I think you might be too famous for hugs from unknowns like me," she replied, feigning sadness.

Beca shook her head and pulled Chloe in for a hug herself. Chloe couldn't resist and soon Beca found herself melting in the arms of Chloe Beale. Beca couldn't help it either, burying her head in the crook of Chloe's neck, pulling her closer, breathing the scent of perfume in, and simply reveling in her warmth. All of a sudden, Beca felt as if her heart that was in atrophy could finally beat again. Finally recovering from that moment she saw Chloe kiss some other guy.

How was she seriously so blind to this before?

Music filled the room, the house DJ taking over once more. She heard Stacie awkwardly cough in the background, getting louder each time she did. Beca took that as her cue to step away from Chloe. As she did, she smiled and softly said "I've missed you."

Chloe feigned being shock. "Wouldn't think you'd have remembered me at all, Becs. Especially now that you've got millions of adoring fans."

Beca chuckled. "I can forget everything else in this world, Chlo, but never you."

"Are you really just going to ignore the rest of us?" Aubrey asked.

Chorused with Amy's own question, "So you'd forget about me?!"

Beca then found herself having to make it up to all her friends, her reunion with Chloe put on hold to quickly catch up with her friends.

They spent an hour just exchanging stories. Emily told her that she missed an aca-amazing performance between the Bellas and the Trebles during the rehearsal dinner.

"Don't forget my duet with Bumper, Legacy," Amy reminded her. "Don't worry, Beca, we'll have an encore tomorrow."

Beca simply nodded, and leaned towards Emily. "They didn't make out mid-song, did they?" she asked in a whisper. When Emily shook her head, Beca turned her attention back to Amy and said, "Sounds good, Amy."

"Oh, and you'll love cardboard Beca," Amy then said, "We have her in the limo."

"Huh?" Beca asked confused. The Bellas then proceeded to fill her in on when they got her, but not exactly on the how.

The Bellas eventually went back to their usual shenanigans, loving the current set the DJ was playing. Most of them started dancing about, with Stacie getting all flirty and suggestive with her choreography as she danced up to Aubrey, who was shockingly okay with all of it. Amy was getting creative herself with Flo and Legacy partially amused and partially mortified by them all. Lilly, Jessica and Ashley were getting refills for their drinks, while Cynthia Rose excused herself when her wife called to check in.

It was then that Beca found herself alone in a half-open booth with Chloe, sitting next to each other, and making idle chatter about what happened to the table. There was so much she wanted to talk to her about, but Beca knew there would be time for that later. Feeling the heaviness of her eyes, she instinctively leaned back, slid down closer to Chloe, and rested her head on her shoulder. She did her best to stifle the yawn but Chloe still noticed it. "Sounds like you're tired. How are you doing, Beca? For real?" she asked, reaching out to hold Beca's hand on her lap.

"I'm okay, just always busy," she replied, simply enjoying the contact between them. "I've been up for 36 hours straight with maybe like 3 or 4 hours of sleep divided between three different naps. I've got back to back interviews lined up, meetings with collaborators, impromptu gigs like this that I apparently couldn't pass up because I need to make the most of the opportunities coming my way when it's still coming my way."

"Beca, you're not a robot. Besides, you're not going anywhere," Chloe told her, softness in her tone.

"I know, but with so many artists popping up every day, you've got to fight to stay relevant, or so I'm told," Beca replied with a sigh.

The Bellas started getting rowdy, the usual really. Chloe gave her hand a squeeze, "Well if you're not too tired to move for a while longer, wanna go for a walk outside for a bit? Get some fresh air?"

Beca sat up and smiled. "I thought you'd never ask," she replied. "Just don't mind Rob."

Chloe looked at Beca curiously but soon met the tall, bulky, demanding figure of Rob outside the VIP room. The two made their way out of the club, Beca grabbing Chloe by the hand and leading the way, with Rob keeping up with them from a safe distance away. Soon they were going through their usual routes, taking familiar streets that led them to their favorite coffee shops and record stores, until they eventually found their way to Central Park.

Beca mostly answered questions Chloe had about her life now, insider info on the music industry, any tea she might want to spill, and how it was working with the biggest artists in the world. Chloe gave a short update on how she found her way back to Atlanta, Stacie and Aubrey practically shacking up – which Beca pretty much guessed from their interactions earlier – and what she's been up to. She didn't mention Chicago much at all, Beca hoping that it meant he was no longer of relevance, but she did talk about which of Beca's songs she loved the most.

"How about the set from earlier? Which one was your favorite?" Beca asked as they made their way to the Bethesda Terrace.

Chloe looked thoughtful for a moment, "One of those songs towards the end. It sounded like that guy from one of those rom coms on Netflix. I keep forgetting his name."

"Oh, Jordan. Yeah, I worked with him on his upcoming album," Beca replied. "You won't be forgetting his name soon after that. He's had some EP's released in the past, but for some reason he hasn't made it in the way he deserves, you know?"

"With your magical touch all over the album, I'm pretty sure I won't forget his name ever again."

"So which song was it?" Beca then pressed.

"Why do you want to know, Mitchell?" Chloe then asked and Beca smirked. She had thought of just singing the song, and maybe opening a conversation about it with Chloe. Anyone of them would do, she carefully handpicked each one for a reason after all.

When Chloe stayed silent, Beca decided to just pick one for her.

_In the moment you were blinded  
By a force, we can't control it  
And I think that now we know it, yeah_

Chloe chuckled at the sudden song number. Rob looked amused behind her as well, but it was in music that Beca knew how best to express herself, and she wanted to know… to stop wasting time. She wanted to talk to Chloe about what she felt for her, and have that serious conversation with her.

_We could run away  
Take you to that place  
So let down your hair  
Baby set your mind at ease  
We'll be living in a dream_

"Okay, seriously, what's gotten into you, Beca?" Chloe asked, her trademark mega-watt smile featured on her face. She was loving this, and it only encouraged Beca even more.

_'Cause tonight, the stars are shining bright  
Aligned for you and I  
No, it's not about luck  
This is all about us, this is all about us  
So why, don't we live if we're alive?  
Gotta open up our eyes  
No, it's not about luck  
This is all about us, this is all about us_

Beca managed to disperse some nervous energy through the song, building her confidence up to just talk to Chloe about it, about this crazy connection between them that Beca stupidly tried to ignore for years. But before she could even say anything, she heard the Bellas applaud her little number, the girls coming from behind Rob. Amy was even carrying a cardboard printout of herself.

"You two aren't trying to escape, are you? I'm happy you're reconnecting but tomorrow's my big day, and we still have fun to be had. Fun you promised, Beca," Amy noted.

Beca sighed. There would be time to talk later. She haven't seen her friends – her family, if Beca was being honest – in person for ages. She had a lot of making up to do for all of them.

If she's lucky, she'd have the rest of her life to make up the last couple of years to Chloe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beca's amazing mash-ups mentioned here are based on actual mash-ups you can find on YouTube (see credits below). Please check them out, they are all amazing. The Jordan Fisher (with a sprinkle of Craig David) mash-up was made by me and only exists in my head, so I'm sorry I can't provide a link for that. I don't have a mixing software myself and mostly just paired together songs I think could go together given a proper remix treatment and with the right transitions. All the songs by Jordan Fisher are also listed below. If you haven't, check him out as well. I love pretty much all his songs. He's one of my fave artists and I personally think he deserves more attention than he's getting.
> 
> Mash-ups/Songs: Juice Now|Dua Lipa v Lizzo mash-up (by Tufos mashups); Feelings x My My My! Hayley Kiyoko + Troye Sivan (by that swift fan girl); Little Mix vs Haley Kiyoko Curious Touch mash-up (by Logan Mashups); Do You Miss Me Much? (by Craig David); Counterfeit, All About Us, and Contact (by Jordan Fisher)
> 
> Actually, you know what, here ya' go. The link below is the playlist for this fic. I'll keep updating it as we go so give it a listen to ;)
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbWZQ6nwYXxFjX9z3vft3leEz7dN9K_5
> 
> PS: I was going to add Walking on the Ceiling (by Jordan Fisher) in the chapter, either in the mash-up or maybe have a bit of that song be what Beca sings to Chloe but I feel like someone would need to check the pulse on each of the Bellas after that and the fic would have ended because Chloe would get what Beca was saying with the songs.
> 
> I might still add it towards the end of the fic… who knows…


	4. Wonderful Tonight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amy's wedding brings with it many twists and surprises. It may also just provide the opportunity that both Beca and Chloe are looking for, along with the promise of an impressive reward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had some free time over lunch at work (waiting on my assistant to finish the stuff I need) so I decided to get this chapter up as a nice lil treat :)
> 
> It's Amy's wedding! I kept things simple to focus on Bechloe though but some mentions of shenanigans are present.
> 
> This is still just between Chloe and Beca in terms of POVs.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Comments, reactions, and reviews are always appreciated.

Amy could go all crazy, wild, and unpredictable. With Bumper involved, it was almost a certainty. But Chloe had to hand it to them, their wedding ceremony was romantic as hell. The couple exchanged vows at the One World Observatory, just after the sun had set, before moving the party to the reception hall at one of the newest hotels in the city, the venue affording them spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline.

Everything was sweet, cute, perfect even, with only one exception. The night was the definition of a picture perfect romantic evening, that is, for as long as one ignores the fact that Bumper couldn't get a best man – none of his family accepted the position and while the Trebles were more than happy to attend his wedding, no one wanted the position either – so he brought a mannequin to his side with a picture cut out of John Meyer's face to play the part. His reason was that they became such good friends during that time he joined him on tour but he was busy so he couldn't make it. Amy, not wanting Bumper to feel embarrassed, didn't ask any of the Bellas to be her maid of honor. Instead, she decided to make good use of the cardboard printout of Beca that they mysteriously acquired and stuck Polaroid pictures of the Bellas gathered throughout the years on it. Amy called it her all-in-one maids-of-honor.

Beca was present for the actual event, something that Chloe was happy about. There was no last minute change of plans or excuse for an exit. She was dressed in a rather sleek black suit ensemble, with no dress shirts underneath. Sitting next to her all night long – throughout the ceremony and the reception – made it very hard for Chloe to concentrate much on anything else.

Chloe could feel magic all around her. With Beca mere inches away from her, sneaking glances at each other the entire night, and romance in the air, Chloe definitely believed it could turn out to be quite the night for possibilities.

They ate dinner, exchanged stories, and she even got a chance to dance with Beca for a minute before one of the guests had the courage to approach her for a picture. It snowballed from then on, and Beca found herself getting pulled in different conversations from star-struck guests.

There was an awkward moment with Jesse as she asked for a minute of her time. Beca immediately got over it and welcomed the chance to see him again, the two clearly remaining on good terms. Perhaps, way passed the doomed relationship, Beca found a kind of true friendship with Jesse.

Chloe watched as Beca interacted with the guests, and with the Bellas who all missed her too. She couldn't help but notice just how much Beca had grown over the last five years. She used to stick with her friends at parties, or people she knew in some way. Beca hated small talk after all. But Chloe guessed that the world she was in now required Beca to be much more sociable than before.

She's happy for Beca, of course she was, but Chloe couldn't help but feel as if Beca's growth came with the price of their relationship. There was a kind of distance between them that she couldn't help but feel. Chloe hoped it was just there because of the time they spent apart, that it would soon be whisked away. But doubt liked to creep in and sneak up on her once in a while, asking her if she really thought she still deserved a minute of Beca's time, or if she could even hold up in her world now. So much has changed, in some ways, barely having the chance to keep Beca next to her and hold her attention for the entire night made her feel that distance even more. Beca was now simply harder to reach. Harder to hold.

It was harder to keep her attention, to physically keep her by her side, because everyone else wanted to have a piece of her. Maybe they want her for different reasons but Chloe never had to fight so hard to stay in Beca's orbit before. Sure there was Jesse in the past, but as the Treble himself put it in their conversation last night, even he didn't rival the way Beca cared or prioritized Chloe before.

Beca would smile every time she caught Chloe starring from out far, and the doubt would be whisked away. Chloe would return the favor. She wished she could have Beca all to herself. Last night felt special, the moment between them when they were walking down the streets of the city and then Beca started to sing… it wasn't something Chloe never expected. She wondered what it was all about, what with Beca acting like there was something on her mind.

Chloe soon found herself next to Beca once more when Amy gathered all the unmarried ladies in her guest list to catch the bouquet. Stacie and Aubrey made no effort in trying to catch it at all. Jessica and Ashley looked disappointed it went the opposite direction from where they were standing. Emily and Flo jumped away from it, the two not yet ready to tie the knot. Cynthia Rose was already married, so she wasn't included. Chloe felt hesitant to try and reach for it, and so did Beca, their fingers touching briefly as they reacted instinctively to reach for the bouquet when Amy threw it. They were both surprised by the interaction that they pulled their hands away, and the bouquet landed on the floor.

"Take two?" Amy asked and the guests laughed. They rearranged themselves in the ballroom and Amy threw her bouquet for a second time. Chloe could swear that Amy was purposefully trying to aim the bouquet towards her and Beca's direction. But this time, before either Chloe or Beca could react, Lilly managed to catch the bouquet.

Amy looked disappointed, but not as disappointed as Donald who looked heartbroken and forlorn when Lilly rejoined her date and they shared a sweet kiss.

It took all of thirty seconds before Amy remembered her promised encore performance with Bumper and the two performed their mash-up from last night. This time getting more graphic.

Beca was at Chloe's side in an instant. "Time for a daring nighttime escape," she said in a hurry, already mortified by the highly suggestive performance, before she grabbed Chloe by the wrist and ran outside the hall.

Chloe smiled. She got her wish after all.

* * *

Beca was in a giggling fit as she and Chloe managed their daring late night escape. As much as she's happy for Amy, she did not sign up for anything above a PG-13 performance from her and Bumper. She's had the strange luck of having witnessed it once or twice already with her fellow Bellas. Those experiences were enough for a lifetime.

Chloe was just as much in the same state as Beca. The two of them leaning back against the cold walls of the elevator they got on. Beca hit her floor out of reflex, not even asking if Chloe would want to join her for a night cap at her suite or if she would rather head back to her room. The Bellas were all staying in the same hotel as the reception, if Beca remembered what Amy said correctly. She just happened to be in some fancy suite instead. To Beca's surprise, Chloe didn't seem to know that fact, confused to why they were heading up to the top floors.

"So, I see that was all pretense to abduct me for the rest of the night," Chloe remarked, quirking an eyebrow at Beca after she realized the fact that Beca was also staying in the same hotel.

Beca simply shrugged. "Here I thought you wanted to abscond with me."

Chloe chuckled as the elevator doors opened to reveal Beca's floor. Beca stepped outside, placing her hand on the retracted doors, "You can go back to your room. I'm not stopping you. Or, you know, you can just hang out with me like old times?"

"Well, how can I say no to you when you ask so nicely?" Chloe replied, stepping out of the elevator. Beca led the way, Chloe barely a step behind her, their hands brushing up against each other. Electricity ran through her veins, starting from the bit of skin that would briefly graze Chloe's, and her heart started to beat rapidly from the thought of it. Beca would very much like to talk to Chloe about the matters most important to her heart, but she didn't want to just blurt it out in the open. She'd have to build her confidence again like the other night. That much was for sure because Beca most definitely felt nervous.

"Are you okay, Becs?" Chloe asked, noticing the blush creeping up her cheeks.

But Beca did her best to side step that topic for now, let their conversation get there when the two of them were much more comfortable. "Just happy," was all she gave as a reply.

Chloe looked impressed at the size of her suite as they stepped inside. She naturally gravitated towards the mixing set-up in the corner of the living area. "You never stop working, don't you?" she asked, before picking up Beca's sacred headphones, silently asking Beca if she could listen to some of her current work. Beca nodded. With her approval, Chloe wasted no time and pressed play, incredibly excited.

And just like that, it felt like they were back to their old ways. Back to those days that Beca took for granted, the days she never wished end.

Beca sat on the armrest of the couch in the living area, watching Chloe beam with pride as she heard the mixes she had been working for. Mixes that she might have been making while thinking of Chloe. It was in that moment that Beca couldn't help but wish for things to stay this way forever.

After listening to mixes for about an hour, with Beca content just watching Chloe be happy, the two of them found themselves hungry. Beca grabbed snacks while Chloe took a tour of the impressive suite. They eventually fell into old patters, settling on Beca's king-sized bed, one that Chloe noted was clearly too big for her. Beca feigned indignation, stopping herself short of asking Chloe to stay the night then. Truth be told, it's not like they've never slept next to each other. They did share a bed in their New York apartment, and Beca definitely missed Chloe cuddling up to her in bed, mumbling nonsense when she's too tired. But the nerves won't go away this time. Something was different, something had changed. Beca had realized that she didn't want those simple and innocent nights anymore. She wanted more, and she was afraid of failing with her delivery of her intent should she say something, at least for that evening.

They ended up talking about the mixes Chloe listened to instead, the two settling down the mattress, the snacks all scattered at the foot of the bed. The conversation eventually moved to music in general, how much has changed since they both moved away from New York, and pretty much about anything and everything else.

At some point, they found themselves lying down on Beca's bed, Chloe's foot still dangling on her edge of the bed, while lying on her back looking up at the ceiling. She looked thoughtful while she spoke, trying to reimagine days long gone. Beca had her own legs pulled up from the edge of the bed, lying on her side to face Chloe. Something about the way they were positioned opposite each other felt rather familiar. Beca's mind wondered back to that night in the tent during their group building activities at the camp that Aubrey ran. Briefly, she wondered what would have happened that night if the Bellas didn't all have to share one tent. Her question flashing back to what Chloe was talking about before the impromptu singing.

Beca asked herself what could have happened if they had been alone. What if she hadn't been too stressed out or frustrated with her internship, or if she had been honest straight up with Chloe and she felt more relaxed, more free? Or if she had just stopped for minute and thought about it carefully, what Chloe had meant, and if she had set Jesse free earlier on because her heart was clearly with someone else anyways. What if?

_What if?_ Beca asked herself, studying every detail on Chloe's face. From her the barely noticeable scar on her forehead, to her ocean blue eyes, and to her rosy lips.

_What if? What if? What if?_

But Beca brushed those thoughts aside. What mattered now was what can be. They still have tomorrow before them, and Beca couldn't help but be hopeful about those coming days.

Beca started absentmindedly humming, as they both simply laid in her bed, enjoying the moment between them, the music filling her head as she went through the lyrics to herself.

_I feel wonderful  
Because I see the love light in your eyes  
And the wonder of it all  
Is that you just don't realize how much I love you_

They continued lying down for a few minutes, Beca's humming the only sound filling the room, before Chloe turned. She regarded Beca with a curious look "What is it?"

"Hmmm?" Beca replied.

"What are you thinking, Beca?" Chloe repeated, shifting her position to face Beca in their current upside down position.

"I just miss you."

It was the truth. Beca missed her so much. But Beca knew that those words had so much more meaning to them, that it carried the weight of everything else that was left unspoken between them.

Chloe seemed to think the same way, as she blinked a few times, clearly taken off guard by the simple response that Beca gave her that she couldn't come up with a witty retort herself.

Beca bit her lip, taking in a deep breath before she spoke again. "Do you remember our first few weeks here in New York?" she started, "It sucked. Hard. I was a bundle of nerves and completely anxious about taking the next big steps at work and you weren't sure about what to do yourself, but you came here with me anyways."

"I couldn't let you come to a big city alone, with no one you know, Beca," Chloe replied.

Beca smiled. "Right, but you also promised me something. During that first nighttime excursion we had around the city, when we ended up at the fountain at Central Park," she went on, remembering how they were practically linked by the arms while walking, keeping each other close to stay safe and warm.

"Beca," Chloe started to say, but didn't go on.

"You promised me that no matter what, I won't be alone. That you'd be with me every step of the way, especially when the big breaks come, cheering me on," Beca then said. "That I'll always have you in my corner."

"You still do," Chloe replied, briefly looking away from Beca.

But Beca never took her eyes away from Chloe, a melancholic hint in her tone. "I know it's partially my fault that I haven't seen you in years but… I don't know, I just wished you could have been with me those past couple years."

Chloe gave a weak smile, before returning Beca's gaze once more. "I hardly think you needed a roommate by then, Beca."

"Yeah," Beca replied with a chuckle. "But I needed you," she went on, trying to emphasize to Chloe the fact that she's never been just a roommate, or a best friend for that matter. She was so much more. "Besides, you promised."

"You should have just asked," Chloe replied, almost breathlessly.

The truth was, Beca intended to. Right after she opened for DJ Khaled, that moment she pulled in Chloe for a hug on stage, the thought that she might lose Chloe crept up in her mind. It was a thought she silenced, immediately coming up with a plan to ask Chloe to go with her wherever she ended up going. Even if it wasn't at once, given Chloe's acceptance to a vet school. Besides, she did end up transferring to a program in Atlanta in the end. Beca wanted to work towards that goal. She simply couldn't imagine a life without Chloe in it, a life without Chloe by her side. She's tried that for the last five years, it was horrible.

"I was going to, after…" Beca said, trying to tell Chloe of her initial plans while wanting to avoid mentioning Chicago. She had grown to despise that name so much that she hated every minute of visiting the city for a tour for the sole purpose of remembering the guy Chloe kissed. "But then it felt like it was too late," Beca settled on, implying the moment she walked in on them kissing, the moment she had planned to talk to Chloe about their plans, "I got scared to know the answer."

Chloe gave her a questioning look, her ocean blue eyes, the ones that were so easy to get lost into staring right back at her. Like she was trying to get a read of what Beca was thinking in that moment, saying all the things she's never really had the courage to admit out loud before.

She reached out to brush aside a few loose strands of Beca's hair, Chloe's fingers brushing against her skin. Beca once again found herself between the past and present, but this time she was resolute with her decision that she wanted to know the answers. To Chloe's questions… and to her own.

If it meant crossing a line and entangling them, she didn't care anymore. Beca knew that she was tired in living in those what if's, in revisiting memories of past regrets and trying to reimagine ways things could have gone.

But apparently Fate said not tonight.

Theo and Rhian, Beca's PR agent, walked into the room without so much as a knock that she and Chloe jumped up from where they were laying down, having been startled by the sudden intrusion. They seem to be deep into a disagreement. Beca was fond of the two of them, always being honest with their opinions and having proven themselves as true friends and allies she can depend on the past five years. But for the love of whatever god actually existed, this better be good. She was pissed as hell for having her moment with Chloe interrupted.

"Sorry," Theo said, after finally realizing that he and Rhian might have walked into her room at a rather inopportune time. "You usually sing when you're in the shower or getting ready. Since we didn't hear you, we figured we could just, you know… But anyways, hey Chloe. I don't think you remember me, the name's Theo."

"Yeah, I, um, I remember you. So, you're Beca's manager now, right?" Chloe replied, doing her best to keep up with the pleasantries. She was hard to read at the moment.

"You know how it is. She's still technically my boss on most things, if you ask me," he replied. "Anyways, this is Rhian. Rhian, this Chloe," he went on, introducing Chloe to the tall, dark, and well-poised agent.

"It's good to finally put a face to the name," she replied, offering a brief handshake to Chloe.

Chloe accepted, looking a bit confused by the remark. "Yeah, Beca never really shuts up about you," Theo let slip. It earned him a glare from Beca, but he took it well and shrugged it off.

"What's up?" Beca replied, trying her best – and failing – to hide her irritation.

"An invitation," Rhian replied, handing her tablet to Beca.

Beca could barely hide her surprise when she read the email. It was an invitation for the Barden Bellas, or rather, the team that won the World Championships, to participate in the 75th anniversary of the competition. Participation was by invitation only, and since Beca was one of the co-captains, and the one with the biggest name of the participants, the organizers decided to invite the team through her. Only the best of the best from those who had won the contest in prior years were invited to join for the year-long event. The details of the preliminaries would be sent out in a month's time if they decide to accept the invitation, if not, they pick someone else on the shortlist. They needed the answer within the week.

"We'll do it," Beca replied, handing the tablet to Chloe.

"You do know there's a lot of things to consider, Beca," Rhian reminded her. Chloe squealed in delight when she read the email, distracting Beca to give a retort.

"I can ask the girls, but I'm sure the answer's going to be yes," Chloe then said. "I mean, we need to figure out the logistics of things – where to practice, when and how too – but absolutely. If you're down, Beca."

"Chloe, I already said yes," Beca replied with a chuckle. She was met with one of the tightest and warmest hugs from Chloe before she excused herself to tell the others.

"Hey, wait," Rhian called back as Chloe left, the former Bella still carrying her tablet. Beca would have to hear whatever disagreement Theo and Rhian were having about it later as her PR agent chased after Chloe.

Theo laughed, finding the scene rather amusing. He took a minute to recompose himself before addressing Beca. "There's going to be a lot to discuss the coming days," he warned. Beca understood what he meant. Rhian had reservations about this. In particular, how joining the contest was going to affect Beca's image.

Beca wasn't much worried about it. As it was a special iteration of the annual contest, there would also be special prizes. Beca didn't care much about lifting the shiny new trophy she could already see the Bellas winning, but she does think the Bellas would appreciate the cash prize attach to the special champions. An award of 25 million dollars was going to be awarded to the acapella team that would be regarded as the best of all the best because apparently the event had some big time sponsors. Beca figured she'll donate her share to charity, that should satisfy Rhian's concerns, plus she'd be given an opportunity to help others out.

But more than that, Beca would have the perfect excuse to spend time with the Bellas again. Something that would be marked on her calendar, an actual commitment that she can't be whisked away from by anyone from her team.

The cherry on top? She'd get to spend a whole lot of time with Chloe again, and maybe, Beca could find a moment free of interruptions and talk with Chloe about what she felt. Considering this was the Bellas Beca was thinking about, Beca knew that of course there would be interruptions. Still, with a year-long timeframe, Beca was sure that an opportunity would arise for sure.

"I'll support your philanthropic efforts, Beca," Theo said, reading her mind. "And of course the get-your-girl plan too. Gotta hand it to you, you've got good tastes. For my part, well, I'll do my best to keep interruptions at a minimum."

Theo had been quick to realize Beca's feelings for Chloe. He was there one Beca realized it herself, and he's most definitely the only person who knows who some of Beca's songs were for. The ones she worked with songwriters to finish, the ones that were usually more vulnerable and stripped down.

"I'll be holding you to that," she replied, looking forward to the days ahead of them.

For now, it was time to get the band back together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens... Dun, dun, duuuun
> 
> BTW, you'll see DSM again real soon. I feel like they were the most memorable nemesis for the Bellas, so…
> 
> Anyways, the song Beca hums and thinks of the lyrics is called Wonderful Tonight (by Eric Clapton) but I was listening to a cover by Humam Zuman which is absolutely amazing. It's been added to the playlist of this fic :)


	5. An Immutable Connection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been three months since Amy's wedding, and since the Bellas were invited to join the anniversary edition of the Worlds. The group of friends gather in preparation for the preliminary rounds, with only a few days left to prepare. But other than the competition, both Jessica and Ashley find that the Bellas also had a certain unresolved "tension" on their minds, one that was between two of their former co-captains.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No songs in this one friends. It's a short one, more on explaining the contest they're about to face (because the next one is also long… for perfectly good reasons…). The chapter is split between Jessica and Ashley.
> 
> For clarity's sake, Amy's wedding was in March. This chapter is set in June.
> 
> There's a Bechloe moment somewhere in there to make it all worth your while <3

It's been a three months since Amy's wedding. Summer was in full swing, and what better way to spend it after the last two years than by actually getting to travel and spend time at your famous friend's LA mansion. The Bellas were all going to stay there for a few days for the preliminary round of the 75th World Championship Invitational that the Bellas were asked to participate in. The group chat had been active since the day after the wedding, buzzing with ideas, promises, and plans. Jessica and Ashley were both highly excited with the prospect of performing with the Bellas again.

The main issue had been how they were going to practice, but Stacie reminded them that they had to go through the preliminary round first. With the competition going to be undoubtedly tough – they've started digging on who they could be up against from previous winners – they have to be prepared and bring their A game. So far, the literal physical distance between them hadn't posed that much of an issue yet. They heard that the prelims would be in the form of a riff-off that summer, live at the Staples Center, which made preparations easier than expected. Jessica had been surprised by how big the event was going to be, but she was confident the Bellas would pull through. Have they ever won a riff-off? Not really. But they were always close to winning them, and at this point in the contest, that was all they needed. Ten groups had been invited, only 5 would be left by the end of the prelims.

It would be cool to win though.

Jessica and Ashley were the first to arrive at Beca's mansion. It also meant that they were the first to meet the closest members of her team – Theo, Rhian, Rob, and Gus, Beca's assistant. Gus was the one entertaining them, Beca busy in her home studio. One by one the Bellas filed in, with Cynthia Rose arriving next, followed by Lilly, Flo, Emily, and Amy. Stacie, Aubrey, and Chloe were the last to arrive. It was once the last group joined them that Gus summoned Beca from her home studio.

Not that Beca had any favorites, but Jessica couldn't help but wonder if she would have joined them sooner had Chloe's group arrived first. Ashley seemed to think so too.

The Bellas all took a few days off of work, using some of their vacation time, to prepare for the contest. The prelims were going to be in the coming Saturday, giving them all of two days to prepare. Aubrey had been instructing the Bellas to train on their own, meet up with the ones who lived in the same city as the others. They were going to go over drills as soon as Beca was done giving a tour of her pad.

The décor was simple, modern but with an edge. Beca may have been famous now, but it doesn't seem like much had changed with who she was beneath all the glory and success. At the very least, some things definitely don't change. Such as, for example, Beca clinging onto Chloe the moment she joined them, never leaving the older Bella's side at all.

Or the endless witty banters. Ones that they exchange as if the Bellas weren't standing a feet away from them. Then of course there's the flirting.

Oh, the flirting.

Stacie looked like she was about to have an aneurysm while Beca showed them to their rooms. She led the way, coming up from the stairs. Opposite the stairwell was a retreat, equipped with a gorgeous view of the Hollywood Hills thanks to the floor to ceiling windows. There was a glass door to one side of it leading to a terrace. A hallway branched off to it's right, leading to Beca's bedroom and her home office-slash-studio. On the opposite side, near the stairwell, was a short corridor. Beca led the way through it until they reached a hallway branching off from left to right. The walls showcased four bedroom doors, two on each side, representing Beca's guest rooms, each having their own private bath. The Bellas would be staying in each room in pairs. Ashley and Jessica would share one of Beca's guest rooms. Emily would bunk in with Lilly. Cynthia Rose was with Flo. Aubrey would be with Stacie – no duh – and Amy had a pad five minutes away. "Bumper would be too lonely without me," she said with a wink when she said she wasn't going to be staying at the mansion with the rest of the Bellas.

Coincidentally, those four guest rooms were the only ones Beca had, leaving Chloe without one. Beca walked pass the Bellas who were all still lingering by the door of their assigned rooms to head back to the retreat when Chloe pointed it out. Beca shrugged in response and said, "I thought you'd just stay in mine."

"I wouldn't want to impose," Chloe replied, a light smile already tugging at her lips. "We don't live in a little matchbox apartment anymore, Beca."

"Yeah, but I've gotten used to sleeping with… errr… next to you," she replied.

The comment made Chloe only about ten times happier than she already was, flashing a mega-watt smile at Beca. "I figured you'd manage finding someone else to fill in for me the last five years," she said in a rather playful tone.

Stacie was near combusting at this point, evidenced by the groan she tried to suppress. If she had her way, Stacie would probably make them just kiss already and get things over with. What Chloe was doing was obvious. She was fishing for information about Beca's relationship status, something that Beca could be hiding thanks to the highly public part of her life. But the Bellas knew better. They knew the truth the same way that they knew Beca's relationship with Jesse was doomed from the start and that Chicago was all but a fling for Chloe while she went through her usual phase of should-I-move-on/should-I-wait-for-Beca.

How they knew? Well, that too was obvious. The Bellas had fully functioning eyes. One would think that after ten years of will-they/won't-they tension, Beca and Chloe would have already been together, but no. Ten years later and the Bellas are still having front row seats between these never ending exchanges.

Besides, the years living at the Bellas house provided them with all the proof they needed. Jessica could still remember all the nights that Amy would notice that Beca was gone, her bed left untouched. They would all talk about it in hushed tones in the morning, waiting for Beca to stroll in through the front doors, because she never returns to her room at all. But it was never through the front door that they'd see Beca march through. It was down the stairs, followed by Chloe who would look chipper that morning. That's when Flo would fill them in with what she's heard the night before, having shared the left wall of her room with Chloe. Nothing much ever happened, they would know if there was because Flo shared the right wall of her room with Stacie, and Flo knew just how thin the walls were thanks to that. Apparently, Beca and Chloe would just watch movies or talk until they fell asleep next to each other. If anything, Jessica always thought it was sweet, more intimate.

But ten years of this nonsense, nine if they only start counting from when the Bellas moved into their house, was far enough.

Beca simply shook her head at Chloe's earlier remark. "Bold of you to assume I've slept much in the last five years, Chlo. I was always busy working on something."

Chloe feigned being shock by Beca's admission. "I doubt that. I bet there's thousand of suitors lining up for you. Or maybe even fans? Groupies? Those dying to have a minute of your time?"

"For a sec there, I thought you were talking about me and not you, Chloe," Beca gave as her response.

"I'm not famous like you, Beca," Chloe teased.

"Thank god for that, or even I might not have a second alone with you," was Beca's quick retort.

"Should we say something?" Flo asked in a hushed tone, the Bellas all standing in the hallway, watching the two have their exchange.

"You better not," Amy instantly replied. "Beca's lost her sleep the last five years. I lost witnessing the ever growing sexual tension between those two. I've been getting withdrawals from the lack of it. I need closure on what happens next."

Neither Beca nor Chloe heard Amy's remark, the two absorbed with their own banter. "Contrary to your belief, Mitchell, I've been busy studying and focusing on my career as a vet. The closest thing to company I had were the papers in my bed. Recently, I've been considering getting a dog to keep me company."

"For now then, can it just be me who occupies that space?" Beca replied.

Chloe pursed her lips. She looked thoughtful for a minute. "Just for now?"

"Why, are you moving in?" Beca asked before sporting her trademark smirk. "When?"

Emily tried to suppress a squeal. Cynthia Rose was quick to assist the Legacy by covering her mouth. So were Lilly and Ashley who were quick to place their hands over Emily's mouth – and to that effect, over Cynthia Rose's hand that was already over the Legacy's. They were all invested in this. No one was allowed to ruin the moment.

Chloe seemed to consider her response. There was a hint of mischief in her eyes as she opened her mouth to respond. However, the Bellas never got to hear what it was that Chloe was going to say. Beca beat her to it.

"Seriously, Chloe, the only thing that's taken your place next to me is music. My mixing software and my laptop to be exact… and even that wasn't enough to fill all the space you left behind. You can't replace the irreplaceable."

Beca successfully disarmed Chloe with that – even the Bellas were caught off guard by it. She was left speechless with Beca's retort, simply nodding along and asking Beca to lead the way in a soft tone. Her face redder than her hair at the moment.

Beca looked proud of herself and showed her the way, leaving the Bellas all in a puddle of butterflies and feels.

Maybe this time, things would actually go somewhere between the two.

* * *

They were given an hour to process the little scene between Beca and Chloe, although allowed would be a better term should anyone ask Ashley. Aubrey wanted to start drills five minutes after each of the Bellas got settled in their rooms. But then Emily returned with her mission report – in other words, what she got from eavesdropping outside Beca's door because of course the Bellas used the most seemingly innocent one of them all for intel gathering – about how Chloe and Beca were getting along.

"They're just talking. Mostly sharing what they've been up to the past three months. Beca seems to be trying to sway the conversation one way but she also seemed hesitant. I'm not sure what that was about," she said.

Aubrey looked thoughtful for a moment before she rescheduled her drills to an hour after.

Beca gave them freedom to do what they pleased and access to anything they needed. The Bellas all gathered in Beca's kitchen and started snacking on whatever was in her fridge, just like the good old days. Aubrey was busy finishing up some kind of PowerPoint presentation while the Bellas resumed their usual antics of trying to figure out the progress – or lack thereof – in the relationship of two of their former co-captains.

Emily strongly suggested they just let things happen, fully hopeful that something might actually happen already.

Stacie and Amy were already scheming.

Flo and Cynthia Rose were already turning down their schemes.

Lilly at least didn't seem like she was up to supporting whatever out of this world idea Stacie and Amy were coming up with to "set the mood" or whatever.

Ashley was just happy to be back at it with the Bellas, usual shenanigans and everything. She's missed them all the past couple of years. Jessica also seemed content that the two of them could spend some time with their found family once more.

Not to mention the fact that the Bellas had a shot at winning 25 million dollars if they win this thing. Sure, they would be splitting it amongst themselves, but each individual share was still a lot of money to consider, especially with all their challenges from the past few years. Beca seemed to thrive and was rather productive with her down time, and Amy didn't really have much to be concerned about. But the rest of the Bellas? They were hit hard by the pandemic.

Flo's business took a bit of a fall. She was only getting back to where her business was before the pandemic. It helped that she was always adept with any situation and she found ways to keep things afloat during the toughest of times.

Cynthia Rose was furloughed for a while. The situation her wife found herself in being in the frontlines of the war against the virus didn't help much.

Ashley and Jessica had to deal with sick family members, helping with the ludicrous hospital bills and other expenses. They both had a few relatives who got hit by the virus, Jessica's grandfather being the most intensive case. He got through it all, and so did the rest. Ashley was just thankful they had each other through those tough times.

Emily wasn't in as bad of a situation, but the pandemic did delay her finishing her latest master's degree.

Stacie was highly stressed from what Ashley had heard. Having a daughter during a pandemic couldn't possibly have been easy. From child care to other needs to consider, Ashley wasn't sure how she would handle the situation herself. Thankfully, she also had someone to rely on. Aubrey.

Chloe was worried about losing her job for a while as well, thankfully the vet clinic she worked in found ways to stay in business as well.

The contest ahead of them meant so much to all of them. Having the time to spend with each other was a much welcomed bonus.

Chloe and Beca joined the rest of the group five minutes later than Aubrey asked everyone to meet up. Beca urged the Bellas to move their conversation by her poolside so they could be more relaxed. Ashley couldn't help but admire the view of the Hollywood Hills while Aubrey set up her slideshow.

"Alright, everyone good?" she asked, taking command of the situation before starting her presentation about the contest, the drills they were going to do to prepare, and of course, their enemies.

The intel on the competition was impressive. Aubrey threw in some noticeable clips listing their strengths and weaknesses. There were some groups that Ashley had never heard of, a handful she was familiar with, because she had seen videos on YouTube already, and of course, there was that one group.

Das Sound Machine.

The intimidating acapella group never stepped performing together, and had only gotten better with time. Their fame had since eclipsed the Bellas since the year they were beaten. By then, they would have heard that the Bellas were also taking part of the championship. DSM would be out for blood, wanting to avenge their loss.

"The competition isn't going to be easy, we have at least three other groups from the ten who are at the level of fame and caliber as DSM," Aubrey went on to say. "We need to be in tip-top shape, so I hope you've all been working on your drills and exercises, especially cardio."

"Even threw in some horizontal running," Amy then said while all the Bellas nodded in response to Aubrey's statement. "Bumper even helped me out with walking on the ceiling," she then added with a wink.

"Amy, just… no," Beca interjected, shaking away the images that popped up in her mind.

"Okay," Aubrey then said, as she wrapped up her slides. "Shall we get started?"

"Take it away, Posen," Beca replied. Ashley couldn't help but remember the days when Aubrey and Beca would buttheads during practice. Those days feel so far away now. They've all grown up and changed for the better.

Only one questioned remained.

After all these years, could they still come together and perform even better than they did before?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter should be up in a little while :)


	6. Riff-Off Remix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The 75th anniversary of the World Championships for Acapella is officially on it's way, and it's packed with twists and turns. The Bellas are up against the best of the best. Do they still have what it takes to make it through the preliminary round and reach the finals?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah… this chapter's longer than the rest so far…
> 
> This starts the preliminaries for the World Championships 75th Anniversary Competition. They're doing riff-offs but I put a twist to it because I wanted to spice things up.
> 
> The entirety of the riff-off portion of the contest was inspired by the acapella medleys of Jared Halley. Check out his YouTube channel because this guy is amazing. The medleys I'm using here and in the coming chapters were based on his. I stumbled upon his channel recently and it's because of it that I found the missing pieces/scenes I needed to write this fic.
> 
> Anyways, the medleys in this chapter are listed below. This is in Stacie's and Aurbey's POV.
> 
> Comments and reactions are always welcomed.

Stacie was impressed. The different acapella groups were gathered on the center stage of Staples Center. DSM looked threatening in their all black ensemble. The Voicenotes, an all-male singing group, looked sharp in their sleek black suits.

Black seemed to be a color favored by most teams, as the Bellas also wore black outfits. Nothing too grand. They mostly wore what they already had in their closet. Stacie was thankful that at the very least they didn't stand too close to the other two, or else they might end up blending together.

The rest of the groups Aubrey was worried about were the Rhythmashers and Vocal-sity. Rhythmashers were a group composed of people from all ages, all dressed in a rather colorful ensemble. Vocal-sity were group of 6 a composed of an equal number of men and women sporting the same vermillion varsity jacket.

The other groups weren't easy competition either, but they had less of an impressive history than the other four. Final Frequency, a group of college kids in matching white and blue outfits, won the last three competitions. To the Clef was another all-male group. Stacie wasn't too scared of them. They could sing well, and they were for sure good enough to be in the competition, but the smug look on their faces made her feel like they should be easy chumps to knock out. Then there were Gregor Chants, a group whose members all wore some weird blood-red cloak, their hoods drawn up covering their faces. They stood still, reminding Stacie of mannequins, next to DSM. Stacie wasn't sure how to feel about them. The last two were interesting. Aural Addiction were the only all-female acapella group other than the Bellas. Each member oozed sex appeal, with each member having distinct ranges and vocal chaps to back them up. Stacie wondered if they could prove advantageous to eliminating the all-male groups. Last were the Overtones, a group composed of four middle-aged men and two middle-aged women, who won back-to-back competitions decades ago.

As for the audience, well, Stacie was quiet pleasantly surprised to see the place packed. There were die-hard supporters for each group in the crowd. Bumper had an obnoxiously big banner for Amy, so it was hard not to see him as much as Stacie wanted to ignore him. His presence at least made it easy to find where the Bellas' supporters were, with Benji and the rest of their family and friends with banners for the Bellas next to Bumper's. Stacie smiled when she spotted her parents with Bella right next to Benji. This was her chance to shine and make her daughter proud. The Bellas were going to go through, no matter what.

To no surprise of anyone at all, a good chunk of the audience were Beca's fans. There were even some celebrities in the crowd. A few of them were secret acapella nerds, others former members of acapella teams themselves, but most of them were artists who Beca had the pleasure of working with. The likes of Dua Lipa, Lizzo, Jordan Fisher, Hayley Kiyoko, and Taylor Swift were all in the crowd. Hell, Stacie was sure she even caught a glimpse of Lionel Ritchie somewhere earlier.

The contestants couldn't exactly interact with each other once they got to the stage, and they were kept in separate dressing rooms earlier so that no one could play any dirty mind tricks. Stacie was thankful at the very least that the German she-wolf that led DSM couldn't get Beca to make a fool of herself earlier. That would be bad for group dynamics, especially since Chloe didn't look too pleased with how she was eyeing Beca at the moment. Beca, for her part, stuck with reviewing notes on her phone. Part of having a PR agent meant Beca had someone to help her prepare for interviews. In this case, Rhian, who the Bellas barely interacted with since they got to LA, helped Beca with a list of insults and prepared her for any and all interactions with the fearless leader of their archrival team.

But it's not only the DSM's fearless leader who was eyeing Beca up. Final Frequency members next to them kept trying to sneak a look at Beca who was busy engaged with Aubrey, Chloe, and Emily, drawing up "battle plans" for the riff-offs. Some of the other members of the different groups too, all fans of the famous singer-slash-producer. Stacie overheard one member of To the Clef make a comment about trying to ask Beca out on a date later on, after they make it through the next round. Tough luck for him. Stacie could tell Beca only had eyes for one person in room, and her name was Chloe Beale.

The stage lights soon focused on the different acapella teams on stage, while the rest of the lights at the center died down. The hosts for the night, fellow acapella singers from the Filharmonic, took the stage to greet the crowd. Along with Pentatonix, they weren't allowed to participate in the competition due to receiving funds, financing, and recording and management deals from some of the event sponsors. Lucky for the Bellas, Beca didn't have any conflicts of interest like the members of the other two groups. It wouldn't have been the same competing without her.

Jules, their vocal bass, was first to speak, reminding the audience of the purpose for the night's special events. He thanked the generous sponsors, and acknowledged the judges on the propped up stage not far away from them. Niko, the group's beatboxer, then stepped up to give a schpill on why each of the groups were selected. VJ, one of their tenors, took over to briefly recap the success stories of each of the contenders. Afterwards, Trace, another one of their tenors, reminded everyone that the proceeds from the tickets purchased for the event would all go to a handful of music charities – a mix of groups helping musicians in need, providing music education, health care, and other outreach.

Joe, the most recognizable of their Tenors, then took over, unveiling the wheel of musical categories, some of which reminded Stacie of some popular songs from different decades. He went over the rules, most of which the contestants already knew from the letter they received about a month ago. A category would be selected from the wheel, any team can start and kick things off. To cut someone off, one team just needed to step up and match the harmony of the song that the first team was singing. Each category pertained to lyrics of one of the popular songs coming from one artist's discography. The only songs they can sing in that round must be by that artist.

Simple enough.

But then Jules stepped up again, saying that they won't be saying who the artist was. The teams must know them already from the tiny bit of lyrics used as the category name. All the contestants were, after all, the cream of the crop. "Anyone who makes a mistake of singing a different artist's song is automatically out," Jules then said and the crowd gasped. "Fail to match harmonies, and your team is out. Fail to jump in and sing at any point in the round, and you're out as well. There will be a randomly generated timer per round, it will flash on the screen, and each team needs to sing at least once within that time limit. When time is up, the round is over and we move onto the next category. We are expecting nothing but flawless transitions and every bit of musical perfection."

Things only became more interesting from there. Niko stepped up once again. "The last five teams standing would automatically make it to the finals," he then said, "but life would be boring if five got eliminated from one round alone. So, we have this thing called perks. When we're down to five, the riff-off will continue. The last team standing will get a few special prizes, or perks, as we like to call them. If we get to a point where there are two teams still left standing, we enter a lightning round. Terms of which we will discuss when and if we get there."

"Last thing before we get started," VJ said to calm the audience members who were already getting hyped up. "Because we got a long email with bulleted lists of items for clarification," he went on to say before side-eying Aubrey. Stacie chuckled. Of course Aubrey was being clear on everything. She still hadn't gotten over the loss against the Trebles from a stupid contraction technicality when it came to matching words on a lyrics. "No worries on what word you cut in with, we're focused on melodies and harmonies. And yes, you can jump in with a tricked out mash-up of a song, but only if the song was already used earlier in the same round. Mash-ups must also strictly be by the same artist. If there's any doubt, if anyone makes a clumsy mistake, or if the harmonies aren't perfectly matched, we would be notified by our expert panel of judges. That's why they are here. To keep things fair."

"So if all our teams are ready," Trace then said, looking around at the different acapella teams. They all had their game faces on. Trace raised a hand. Silence. When he smirked, he turned to point at the wheel behind him. "Wheel of musical categories, take a spin!" he boomed.

The crowd cheered loudly as the wheel spun fast. Stacie kept an eye on the needle while Aubrey, Chloe, and Beca gave the Bellas a quick pep talk. Emily's eyes were focused on where the timer would pop up, so that the team would be quickly alerted.

"When Rock Was Young," the Filharmonic chorused, trying their best not to sing the line from the song. The timer popped up set to seven minutes, ten seconds.

It was one of the songs Stacie already recognized, which helped her in identifying the artist behind the category – Elton John. She wasted no time jumping in and pulling Cynthia Rose, Amy, and Aubrey along with her to back her up.

_I remember when rock was young  
me and Suzy had so much fun  
Holding hands and skipping stones  
had an old gold chevy and a place of my own  
but the biggest kick I ever got  
was doing a thing called the crocodile rock  
while the other kids were rocking round the clock  
we were hopping and bopping to the crocodile rock Well..._

But then the tallest member of the Voicenotes stepped up, backed by two of his teammates.

_Hold me closer tiny dancer  
count the headlights on the highway  
lay me down in sheets of linen  
you had a busy day today_

Vocal-sity wasn't about to lose out either, their captain jumping in, backed by three of his teammates to cut the Voicenotes short.

_and I think it's gonna be a long, long time  
'til touchdown brings me round again to find  
I'm not the man they think I am at home  
Oh, no, no, no,  
I'm a rocket man  
Rocket man, burning out his fuse up here alone_

The guy from To the Clef that wanted to ask Beca out on a date slid towards the center of the stage, coming from the left, with some of his buddies.

_Shine the light, shine the light  
Shine the light won't you shine the light  
Philadelphia freedom  
I love, love, love you  
Yes I do_

The Gregor Chants then cut in, five of their members marching in from their corner of the stage, singing their song in a rather deep voice. It was almost eerily haunting, but they still managed to match the harmony when they cut in, so Stacie guessed it was all fine.

_But you misread my meaning when I met you  
Closed the door and left me blinded by the light  
Don't let the sun go down on me  
although I search myself it's always someone else I see  
I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free  
Cause losing everything is like the sun going down on me_

All the members of Aural Addiction then stepped up, trying to sing and dazzle the crowd with some dance moves.

_But I'm still standing better than I ever did  
Looking like a true survivor feeling like a little kid  
I'm still standing yeah, yeah, yeah_

It didn't last long though, because Rhythmashers were right on their tails with a song of their own.

_and it seems to me you lived your life like a candle in the wind  
never knowing who to cling to when the rain set in  
and I would've liked to have know you but I was just a kid  
your candle burned out long before your legend never did_

That was when the Kommissar stepped up, backed by her right-hand man, Pieter, and two others, the very strange and eerie twins. Stacie couldn't remember if they've always been there.

_Can you feel the love tonight  
it is where we are_

Chloe tried to rustle the cavalry to cut the Kommissar, Luisa, short, but before the Bellas came up with anything, another member of the Voicenotes stepped in with three others

_they said, get back honky cat better go back to the woods  
but I quit those days and my redneck ways_

Luisa looked pissed, but the Voicenotes moment to shine was quickly ended when the Ryhtmashers came back into the fray.

_she's got electric boots, a mohair suit  
you know I read it in a magazine oh  
Be-be-be-bennie and the jets  
(Bennie and the jets)_

Only for Vocal-sity to step in again and steal the spotlight with three of its members.

_and I guess that's why they call it the blues  
time on my hand could be time spent with you_

That was when Final Frequency jumped in, giving Vocal-sity a taste of their own medicine.

_so goodbye yellow brick road where the dogs of society howl  
you can't plant me in your penthouse I'm going back to my plow_

Stacie had to hand it to Aubrey with her assessments about their main competitions, but she wasn't one not to give credit where credit was due. All the teams were amazing. Not as amazing as the Bellas though, as proved by Aubrey who then stepped up, backed by Jessica and Ashley.

_Don't go breaking my heart  
I couldn't if I tired  
Oh honey if I get restless  
baby you're not that kind  
no, no, no, no, no_

The Overtones then cut Aubrey short, finally getting into the game.

_Altar bound, hypnotized, sweet freedom whispered in my ear  
you're a butterfly and butterflies are free to fly  
fly away, high away, bye-bye_

The moment didn't last long though, because DSM regained control when Pieter jumped in.

_In the circle, the circle of life_

But apparently, no one really liked DSM, because they got cut once more by none other than the smuggest member of To the Clef and his equally conceited bros.

_Don't give us none of your aggravation  
we've had it with your discipline  
Oh, Saturday night's the night I like  
Saturday nights alright, alright, alright  
Ooooh_

Only to be cut by Aural Addiction with a more solemn rendition of a ballad.

_Oh darling it looks like Daniel  
must be the clouds in my eyes_

The solemn moment was interrupted by another haunting delivery by the Gregor Chants.

_Oh, I believe in love, it's all we got  
love has no boundaries, costs nothing to touch  
but love, I believe in love_

But that thankfully didn't last long as Beca jumped in with Flo, Amy, and Cynthia Rose, giving her rendition of "Your Song." Stacie smiled to herself as she stole a glance at Chloe next to her. She couldn't help but wonder who Beca was singing that song for.

_and you can tell everybody this is your song (this is your song)  
it may be quite simple but now that it's done (now that it is done)  
I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind that I put down in words  
how wonderful life is now you're in the world (in the world)_

No one dared interrupt Beca anymore, most of the other teams were just still at awe at the fact that they were up against a famous artist like her. It helped that the timer ran out after that.

But with the first round over, and no eliminations, Stacie knew the Bellas were going to be in one hell of a battle to reach the finals.

* * *

The crowd went wild. The first round finished with not a team to be eliminated. No one made mistakes, no one guessed wrong on the artist. It was one hell of a flawless performance from all ten participating groups.

 _As if we were masterfully mixed together by an amazing DJ_ , Aubrey thought to herself with a chuckle as she glance towards Beca's direction. The hobbit looked mighty proud of her efforts as she rejoined the Bellas and took her spot at Chloe's side.

But if no one got eliminated, that only reiterated what Aubrey already knew. Nothing but perfection was expected from each team, and they were all ready to deliver the perfection expected from them.

Aubrey smirked. It proved the Bellas were indeed a part of the very best, those on top of the acapella food chain. It also proved her point against Bumper months ago, considering the Trebles weren't even invited, nor have they even won in the World Championships before.

This was going to be tough.

But Aubrey was sure the Bellas will fight like hell and make it through. That's the thing about them. They've made through far worse, and the reason they survived together was because they weren't just a team. They were a family.

Once the applause died down, the Filharmonic stepped up to the stage again. "Hell of a first round," Joe said, "But we're only getting started, next round please!"

The wheel spun around behind him once more, the wedge that had Elton John's category already being blacked out. "Gotta Feel That Heat!" the Filharmonic once again chorused. A category that was undoubtedly for the one and only Michael Jackson. The timer set to five minutes and forty seconds.

DSM got the best of all other teams and had the first song, with the Kommissar taking the lead.

_Billie Jean is not my lover  
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one  
But the kid is not my son  
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son_

Someone from the Voicenotes looked like they wanted to cut in but a group of four from Final Frequency beat them to the punch. They didn't disappoint either, giving their all.

_I said you wanna be startin' somethin'  
You got to be startin' somethin'  
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'  
You got to be startin' somethin'_

But the Voicenotes weren't going to take things standing by either, smoothly sliding in and stealing the show with some Michael Jackson-approved moves.

_Annie, are you okay?  
So, Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?  
Annie, are you okay?  
So, Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?  
Annie, are you okay?  
So, Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?_

The Bellas weren't just gonna stand there either, with Beca pulling Flo, Jessica, Ashley, and Lilly into a huddle for a plan.

_You've been hit by—  
You've been hit by—  
A Smooth Criminal_

Beca jumped in after that, backed by her chosen Bellas. The rest of the teams simply stood by. Aubrey got the impression that most were star-struck, especially the young ones from Final Frequency.

_Just Wait 'Til I Get Through  
Because I'm Bad, I'm Bad-  
Come On  
(Bad Bad-Really, Really Bad)  
You Know I'm Bad, I'm Bad-  
You Know It  
(Bad Bad-Really, Really Bad)  
You Know I'm Bad, I'm Bad-  
Come On, You Know  
(Bad Bad-Really, Really Bad)  
And The Whole World Has To  
Answer Right Now  
Just To Tell You Once Again_

The Kommissar proved to be immune to such things, cutting Beca's song with her chosen cronies.

_Dirty Diana, nah  
Dirty Diana, nah  
Dirty Diana, no  
Dirty Diana_

But just like last time, they were cut short of a glorious and dominant interval by Rhythmashers.

_but you wanna be bad  
just beat it (beat it), beat it (beat it)  
no one wants to be defeated  
showin' how funky and strong is your fight  
it doesn't matter who's wrong or right  
just_

To the Clef wasn't going to let the chance to impress slip by either as they jumped in with their entire group, hoping to dominate most of the round and eliminate the rest.

_Hold me  
Lay your head lowly  
Softly then boldly  
Carry me there_

_Lift me (Lift me)  
Lift me up slowly  
(Lift me up, lift me up now)  
Carry me boldly  
Show me you care_

The Overtones, however, weren't going to let them get away with such a plan, being more active and ready this round. Funny, considering Aubrey pegged them more to be fans of Elton John and his ballads than Michael Jackson and his high energy performances.

_Heal the world  
Make it a better place  
For you and for me and the entire human race  
There are people dying  
If you care enough for the living  
Make a better place for_

Aubrey was proven wrong and the Overtones actually proved they've got some simple moves. Their moment didn't last long though, being cut off by yet another haunting acapella version of a song. One that gave Aubrey the image of being alone in a graveyard as a thick fog settled down and surrounded her.

_You are not alone  
I am here with you  
Though you're far away  
I am here to stay_

Thankfully, Vocal-sity jumped in with some silky smooth melodies with matching dance moves. How they matched harmonies with Gregor Chants was beyond Aubrey, but they pulled it off.

_Do you remember the time  
When we fell in love?  
Do you remember the time  
When we first met, girl?  
Do you remember the time  
When we fell in love?  
Do you remember the time_

Aural Addiction seemed to approve to the change in tunes, taking this as their opportunity to showcase their own dance moves when they cut in with a song of their own.

_I took my baby on a Saturday bang  
Boy is that girl with you?  
Yes we're one and the same  
Now I believe in miracles  
And a miracle has happened tonight  
But, if you're thinkin' about my baby  
It don't matter if you're black or white_

But that didn't last long. The Bellas were always ready to steal the show and that's exactly what Amy did as she pulled Beca, Cynthia Rose, and Stacie to back her up.

_You gotta feel that heat  
And we can ride the boogie  
Share that beat of love  
I want to rock with you (rock with you, all night)  
Dance you into day (sunlight)  
I want to rock with you (rock with you, all night)  
Rock the night away_

Vocal-sity clearly felt the beat as they were inspired to jump in to cut the Bellas' performance short.

_I Want To Love You (P.Y.T.)  
Pretty Young Thing  
You Need Some Lovin' (T.L.C.)  
Tender Lovin' Care  
And I'll Take You There_

The same could be said for Rhythmashers, who naturally took over.

_The way you make me feel  
(The way you make me feel)  
You really turn me on  
(You really turn me on)  
You knock me off my feet  
(You knock me off my feet)  
My lonely days are gone  
(My lonely days are gone)_

The Voicenotes weren't going to let any of their rivals completely steal this round either, as they took over, crooning the next song away.

_Because the doggone girl is mine  
She's mine, oh  
No, no, no, she's mine_

The youngest group in the competition weren't about to shy away either, with Final Frequency cutting the Voicenotes short. The kid who led the way had some kind of sexy cool voice, Aubrey could already imagine a bright future for her.

_Looking out, across the morning  
The city's heart begins to beat  
Reaching out, I touch her shoulder  
I'm dreaming of the street_

_If they say why (why?), why (why?)  
Tell them that it's human nature  
Why (why?), why (why?), does he do me that way?  
If they say why (why?), why (why?)  
Tell them that it's human nature  
Why (why?), why (why?)_

Aubrey felt herself being pulled into the center of the stage by Chloe, along with Emily, and Jessica. Her former co-captain not one to back away from an aca-awesome challenge. Aubrey couldn't help but wonder though if Chloe didn't have any ulterior motives with the song choice.

_I just can't stop loving you  
I just can't stop loving you  
And if I stop  
Then tell me just what will I do_

The moment was ruined, however, when Gregor Chants took over with a chilling rendition of a popular song. _Seriously, what is up with them?_ Aubrey asked herself.

_I'm starting with the man in the mirror (Man in the mirror, oh yeah)  
I'm asking him to change his ways (Change his ways)  
(Come on, change)  
And no message could have been any clearer_

_If you wanna make the world a better place  
Take a look at yourself and then make the change  
You gotta get it right, while you got the time  
'Cause when you close your heart (You can't)  
Then you close your mind (Close your, your mind!)_

The timer ran out during Gregor Chants' little number. Once again, all teams sang, no one made a mistake. Not a note sung was out of harmony. Not one performance in the riff-off anything less than perfect.

Vocal-sity looked serious. The Voicenotes realized the same thing too. Ryhtmashers eyed their competition closely. DSM just looked plain mad they haven't gotten the chance to fully show off their chops and dominate a round.

The Bellas weren't doing too bad either, but the sudden change in the atmosphere gave Aubrey the feeling that things were only about to heat up.

The fight was definitely on against the biggest and best of acapella teams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed that little performance. The acapella teams featured here other than DSM and the Bellas are all made up (I may have gotten carried away with naming them). If they resemble any real life team in name or description, that was an accident (I do note that I did my very best to fight the strong temptation of using Aural Fixation's and Interchorus' names). The Filharmonic are a real group of singers and are awesome, check them out. They'll only be featured in the riff-off chapters, and maybe another one later on. There will be different hosts per round.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the twist with the riff-offs and the category names. I might split off the chapters to their own rounds because it took me hours to finish this chapter to try an d capture the transitions and actual singing while listening to the medley on YouTube. I don't think that should affect the number of chapters, but if it does, I'll update you all. The next chapter titles will follow the trend. Can you guess the artist for each category before you hit the songs?
> 
> Medleys/Mash-ups featured in this chapter are as follows:
> 
> Ultimate Elton John Acapella Mash-up Medley (by Jared Halley): Crocodile Rock, Tiny Dancer, Rocket Man, Philadelphia Freedom, Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me, I'm Still Standing, Candle in the Wind, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, Honky Cat, Bennie and the Jets, I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Don't Go Breaking My Heart, Someone Saved My Life Tonight, Circle of Life, Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting, Daniel, Believe, Your Song
> 
> Michael Jackson Acapella Medley (by Jared Halley): Billy Jean, Thriller (which I excluded), Wanna Be Startin' Somethin', Smooth Criminal, Bad, Dirty Diana, Beat It, Will You Be There, Heal the World, You Are Not Alone, Remember the Time, Black Or White, Rock With You, P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing), The Way You Make Me Feel, The Girl is Mine, Human Nature, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Man in the Mirror
> 
> Again, I've also arranged a YouTube playlist for all the songs used in this fic. I'll keep updating the playlist as chapters are updated to include the latest songs, mixes, and medleys. I could put them all in the playlist already (I have a separate one I listen to while writing) but then, where will the suspense be? :P Check it out at this link below:
> 
> www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbWZQ6nwYXxFjX9z3vft3leEz7dN9K_5
> 
> PS: There's a reason why MJ's "Thriller" wasn't included in the medley in this chapter (it's part of the actual medley by Jared Halley.) You shall find out why soon enough :}


	7. Another Turning Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next round of the Preliminary Riff-Offs begins and brings with it some surprises along the way. Flo's unbothered, however, knowing that the Bellas will fight to live for another round.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's part 2 of the preliminary rounds. It's way shorter than the last, but more manageable to write for me, I hope you guys understand.
> 
> So, who's your best guess for the category? It's just one this time because the last one was a doozy and I had the two medleys from C6 on loop for an hour or two each to finish writing their sections…
> 
> We have Flo's POV in this one.

Flo took a deep breath to calm herself. They weren't exactly given much of a breather in between rounds. She knew that to win, they had to be sharp and quick, ready to sing whatever was necessary. The preliminary round was testing their extensive knowledge of songs and the limits of their creativity and skills.

It was tough. But it was times like this that Flo missed a whole lot with the Bellas. Moments when the adrenaline of the performance would kick in, and her friends and Flo herself would all mesmerize the watching crowd.

Flo was glad the Bellas were given this chance to compete and perform together again for those reasons.

VJ stepped up, applauding the efforts of the contestants. The members of the Filharmonic were just as equally impressed by the talent on display. The crowd at the Staples Center could only agree judging from their applause. He raised both hands to ask the audience to settle down before smoothly turning around and pointing at the wheel of categories next to him. The wheel spun and silence filled the center as the contestants and audience members alike waited with baited breath to see the category for the next round.

"Another Turning Point!" The Filharmonic chorused. They stepped behind and the timer flashed on the screen. The next round only had four minutes and forty seconds.

Chloe and Aubrey turned to look at each other, unsure of the category. The other Bellas put in their best guesses as well. The category line was familiar but none of them could pin down the artist.

None except Beca, whose face lit up with recognition.

Too bad DSM already took the initiative to kick things off, Pieter singing animatedly, doing his best to seem unhinged. All for the sake of theatricality, Flo could tell, but she couldn't help but think the role fit perfectly.

_Do you have the time to listen to me whine  
About nothing and everything all at once?  
I am one of those  
Melodramatic fools  
Neurotic to the bone  
No doubt about it_

By then the teams figured out the category. Green Day.

Beca pulled in the Bellas for a huddle, a perfect song in mind. She let the others get their chance to shine for now. Next to them, Flo could overhear Final Frequency talk about cutting in with "American Idiot." They couldn't find an opening to jump in, however, with DSM laying a complex string of beats and mix of harmonies as they dominated center stage with their performance.

_Sometimes I give myself the creeps  
Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me  
It all keeps adding up  
I think I'm cracking up  
Am I just paranoid?  
Ah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_A basket case  
A basket case  
A basket case  
A basket case_

For a while there, it looked like DSM would be the only ones to sing this round, but then Rhythmashers cut in, rushing the stage for a full team performance. It was enough to push DSM back.

_Another turning point  
A fork stuck in the road  
Time grabs you by the wrist  
Directs you where to go  
So make the best of this test  
And don't ask why  
It's not a question  
But a lesson learned in time_

DSM looked poised to cut in again, but Rythmashers imposed themselves. Warm up was over, this was war, and they were neither backing down nor buckling under pressure.

_It's something unpredictable  
But in the end it's right  
I hope you had the time of your life_

Someone from Final Frequency argued that cutting in with "Wake Me Up with September Ends" might be easier. Beca finished telling the Bellas of her plan, all they were waiting for was a chance to cut in. If Final Frequency went with their plan, that could be the perfect opening the Bellas needed.

But in the end it was Vocal-sity who cut in with "Holiday."

_Hear the sound of the falling rain  
Coming down like an Armageddon flame (Hey)_   
_The shame, the ones who died without a name_

_Hear the dogs howling out of key  
To a hymn called "Faith and Misery" (Hey)  
And bleed, the company lost the war today_

_I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies  
This is the dawning of the rest of our lives  
On holiday_

The Voicenotes then surprised the crowd, and all the teams, by cutting Vocal-sity short, matching their harmony and flawlessly creating a transition that allowed their song to take over. The full group rushing to center stage as their lead channeled his inner Billie Joe Armstrong.

_I walk a lonely road  
The only one that I have ever known  
Don't know where it goes  
But it's home to me, and I walk alone_

_I walk this empty street  
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams  
Where the city sleeps  
And I'm the only one, and I walk alone_

Emily eyed the timer as it dangerously ran down. But Beca wasn't bothered. This was the opening she needed. She gave final instructions to the Bellas, they weren't going to shy away from putting on a full show either.

_I walk alone, I walk alone  
I walk alone, I walk a-_

_My shadow's the only one that walks beside me  
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating  
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me  
Till then I walk alone_

Cynthia Rose jumped in, Jessica and Ashley matching the harmonies and laying down the groundwork for their transition. Lilly provided the subtle beats.

_Did you try to live on your own  
When you burned down the house and home?  
Did you stand too close to the fire?  
Like a liar looking for forgiveness from a stone_

Beca started clapping along to the beat as she sung the chorus, and the Bellas all followed. They didn't need anything flashy, or some highly energetic takeover of the center stage.

_One, twenty one guns  
Lay down your arms  
Give up the fight_

_Ohhhh_

The Bellas had music in their blood, the solemnity of it coursing through their veins, and it was what allowed them to steal the spotlight and fully take control of the situation. Beca, Cynthia Rose, Emily, and Flo took the lead with the chorus, while Chloe, Stacie, Amy, and Aubrey backed them up.

_One (one), twenty (twenty one) one guns (twenty one guns)  
Throw up your arms (throw up your arms) into the sky (into the sky)_

_One (one), twenty (twenty one) one guns (twenty one guns)  
Throw up your arms (throw up your arms) into the sky (into the sky)_

_You and I_

The round ended, and the Bellas made it through the next round. Flo couldn't help but beam with pride for the success of their efforts. Their bit of the riff-off was applauded by the rest of the contestants as well.

But things were far from over. On the contrary, the real competition had only begun. With one round cutting all of the ten invited teams down to five, the next round would be more cutthroat and competitive.

Was Flo worried? No, she knew the Bellas would fight like hell. They loved to win, and they want the perks. Besides, they've got more than what it takes to do just that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ain't that a shocking round. From 10 down to 5. We have our five finalists but there are still the bonus prizes/perks to be won.
> 
> I should be able to get the next chapter up by this afternoon/early evening. It depends on if I can finish it around lunch or during my coffee break :P
> 
> Green Day Acapella Medley (by Jared Halley): Basket Case, Good Riddance (Time of Your Life), Holiday, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, 21 Guns


	8. I Tried So Hard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are heating up in the preliminary rounds. With five teams left, the finalists identified, and awesome perks on the line, who will be the last team standing?
> 
> Amy wagers it will be the Bellas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love this chapter. You'll know why after reading it. There's a part where you might go "well, why aren't Beca and the Bellas singing this?" then reach the point "oh, okay, I get it, but why is Beca letting the other Bellas sing this?" and then THAT part hits and you'll go "Yup, okay, I get it now"
> 
> The medley on YouTube this was based on has that moment as the smoothest most natural transition between songs. Absolute perfection. Seriously. Go check out the notes below for it.
> 
> Again, I've broken up the preliminary rounds to multiple chaps to manage them better. Anyways, here's the next one. You guys are gonna love it as well.
> 
> Any guesses on the category?
> 
> This is Amy's chapter.

Amy was feeling proud of her pitches. But of course, they would make the finals. One round was all it needed to reveal the real enemies and Amy wasn't scared of any of them either.

Okay, so maybe DSM bothered her a little. But that was mostly due to their two new additions, the chillingly synchronized twins and the tall Adonis in the guy-liner who literally looked down on everyone else on stage.

Niko, one of the hosts from a group that Amy remembered beating in the Worlds along with DSM when they competed, jumped in after the round was done. "What did I tell you, folks? One round and we have all our finalists determined. Let's give a moment to applaud the amazing teams who won't be joining us in the next rounds and the ones who have made it."

Amy beamed, exchanging a look with Beca who equally exuded the confidence of an absolute boss. But of course all the Bellas were bosses of the acapella world. No one can ever take them down. Only themselves, as Amy recalled, but that was another matter on its own.

Once the Bellas were in perfect harmony with each other, like they were right now, no one stood a chance at all. Not even the self-assured Kommissar, or her manic right-hand man and their acapella team of BDSM-convention rejects.

Trace and VJ escorted the eliminated teams off stage while Jules took over the hosting duties. "Okay, now that we have our finalist, do you all remember what we said about the perks?" he asked and he was met with a chorus of replies asking what it was. Jules smiled, "The winner of our preliminary rounds, the last acapella team standing, shall receive an all-expense paid trip to Buenos Aires for their team for some perfect R&R, be invited to perform at the Halloween Bash – where all participants will also be invited to attend – and get to decide the order of performances for the finals, allowing themselves to secure a place most comfortable to them."

The announcement was met with "oh's" and "ah's" from the crowd. The vacation was nice, another opportunity to perform was all well and good too, but Amy knew that the real prize here was the last thing Jules said. If the Bellas win, they could decide when best to go. They could have DSM go first or last, depending on whichever could put more pressure on them. The first to perform in a contest would be the most nerve-wracked, and from what Amy understood, going last was just as nerve-wracking for some as well.

It was a competition-sanctioned chance to play mind-games with their opponents.

Joe and Niko got the crowd to settle down. Once they did, Jules turned to the wheel of musical categories. The wheel spun and landed on its category. "I've Tried So Hard!" the remaining members of the Filharmonic chorused, and the timer was set to five minutes and twenty seconds.

_Linkin Park this round, huh?_ Amy thought. She stole a glance at Beca who looked excited about it.

The Bellas weren't the first one in action. Instead, it was Vocal-sity. In the meantime, the former co-captains of the team huddled together, already drawing battle plans.

_What (what, what, what I've)_

Three of their members laid down the ground work before each member joined in one by one.

_What (what, what, what I've)_

Aubrey and Chloe took care of getting the Bellas sorted while Vocal-sity got into the song. Emily kept an eye on the timer. Beca closed her eyes and listened carefully, waiting for the right moment for the Bellas to jump in and dazzle the crowd once more.

_In this farewell  
There's no blood, there's no alibi  
'Cause I've drawn regret  
From the truth of a thousand lies  
So let mercy come and wash away_

_What I've done  
I'll face myself  
To cross out what I've become  
Erase myself  
And let go of what I've done_

Ryhthmashers swooped in and stole the show after that. Their colorful outfits a jarring comparison to the heavier and darker feel of the songs in this category.

_I close both locks below the window  
I close both blinds and turn away  
Sometimes solutions aren't so simple  
Sometimes goodbye's the only way, oh_

_And the sun will set for you  
The sun will set for you  
And the shadow of the day  
Will embrace the world in gray  
And the sun will set for you_

The Voicenotes looked more solemn, projecting the theme of their chosen song onto their performance as they cut Rhythmashers short, pulling off some smooth and harmonious transitions. Amy was a little bit impressed.

_I don't like my mind right now  
Stacking up problems that are so unnecessary  
Wish that I could slow things down  
I wanna let go, but there's comfort in the panic_

_And I drive myself crazy  
Thinking everything's about me  
Yeah, I drive myself crazy  
'Cause I can't escape the gravity_

The Voicenotes expertly held onto their moment of spotlight. The Bellas were ready, waiting only for Beca's signal to go on. DSM looked poised to jump in at any given moment as well. The other two teams were going back to the drawing board to try and steal the show once more.

_I'm holding on  
Why is everything so heavy?  
Holding on  
To so much more than I can carry_

_I keep dragging around what's bringing me down  
If I just let go, I'd be set free  
Holding on  
Why is everything so heavy?_

But the pleasure of ejecting the Voicenotes from center stage was reserved for DSM at the end. The full team jumped in as they laid in the beats, Luisa walking in to the stage with a subtle air of confidence.

_I'm tired of being what you want me to be  
Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface  
Don't know what you're expecting of me  
Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes_

Pieter jumped in, backing her up, with the tall new Adonis adding a nice metal feel to the song by singing with a coarse voice.

_(Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow)_   
_Every step that I take is another mistake to you  
(Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow)  
And every second I waste is more than I can take_

_I've become so numb  
I can't feel you there  
(Tired of being what you want me to be)  
Become so tired  
So much more aware_

As the song went on, the DSM before them looked more like the DSM that had the Bellas on edge once before. Amy saw Beca smirk, she got Emily and Flo ready for their parts. Jessica, Ashley, and Lilly started matching the harmonies and the beats for a silky smooth transition.

This despite singing songs by a rock band.

_I'm becoming this  
All I want to do  
(Tired of being what you want me to be)  
Is be more like me  
And be less like you_

_And I know  
I may end up failing too  
But I know  
You were just like me with someone disappointed in you_

Beca all but pushed Flo and Emily as they jumped in for their parts. The rest of the Bellas backing them up with one of the previous songs. Jessica, Ashley, and Lilly's efforts allowed for a natural take over, one that gave Amy chills as she took her part in the song. Kommissar unwittingly set them up perfectly.

Transition? Divine. Wigs? Snatched. Crowd? Shook.

_I tried so hard and got so far (What I've done)  
But in the end it doesn't even matter (I'll face myself, to cross out what I've become)  
I had to fall to lose it all (erase myself)  
But in the end it doesn't even matter (And let go of what I've done)_

Of course it was going to be an epic mash-up. But what was more epic than a traditional Bellas mash-up?

Well…

_One thing, I don't know why  
It doesn't even matter how hard you try  
Keep that in mind, I designed this rhyme  
To remind myself how I tried so hard_

The Bellas kept up the loop of "In the End/What I've Done" as Beca jumped in with the rap part of "In the End" producing one badass symphonic acapella remix. Even Amy felt goosebumps prickling her skin. The crowd went wild, the other finalists were speechless. Amy felt herself gloating a little, but what else was there to expect with the Bellas.

_All I know_ _  
_ _Time is a valuable thing_ _  
_ _Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings_ __  
_Watch it count down to the end of the day_ _  
_ _The clock ticks life away_

The timer ran down to zero, and the audience erupted in thunderous applause for the Bellas eargasmic beats. Beca lingered at the center of the stage for a moment or two as the Bellas resumed their position, her eyes meeting Luisa's head on for a stare off. But Beca had the last word in this round, or rather, last action as she raised her hand and dropped an imaginary mic before returning to her Bellas with a self-satisfied smirk.

No one got eliminated in that round, lucky for their competition, but as the rounds go by, and the categories thin down, Amy couldn't help but ask why can't the other teams just accept defeat already?

There will only be one winner, and Beca just threw down the gauntlet against their nemesis. At the end of the night, Amy was sure it will be down to either DSM or the Bellas on who will take all the glory.

They already let DSM win one riff-offs once.

It won't happen again.

Amy could see it in Beca's eyes, feel it in the competitive energy coursing through the Bellas right then.

They were in it to win it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I hope you all enjoyed that one. Things are getting trickier with no one eliminated again.
> 
> Seriously, listen to the medley/mash-up below. It is epic. It's been added to the playlist below.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbWZQ6nwYXxFjX9z3vft3leEz7dN9K_5
> 
> Linkin Park Acapella Medley (by Jared Halley): What I've Done, Heavy, Shadow of the Day Numb, In the End


	9. Nobody Said it was Easy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things keep heating up as the finalists face-off for the chance to win the bonus prizes and be crowned champions of the riff-off rounds. Cynthia Rose isn't worried though, believing that everything would all boil down to team chemistry. 
> 
> Or in this case, the chemistry between two of Bellas co-captains.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the second to the last part of the riff-offs! Whew! Prelims almost done.
> 
> Hope you guys are still enjoying this fic. We get a lil' Bechloe moment too, as noticed by CR. This is her POV.
> 
> Next chapter is between Beca and Chloe.

Things were tight. There were a total of twelve categories on the wheel, eight were left. Cynthia Rose figured it was because the event organizers expected tight match-ups, situations where no team gets eliminated. So far, they've experienced that thrice now. But they've also experienced one mass exodus.

Anything can happen in a riff-off, especially one that had the best of the very best of acapella teams competing against each other. No one wanted to budge and slip. No one wanted to lose.

There were people on deck to help the members of each team if they needed anything, mostly handing them water bottles to rehydrate. Some of the Bellas took the golden opportunity to do just that while Niko of the Filharmonic took this opportunity to hype up the crowd and once again thank the sponsors.

Once most members of the teams looked roarin' and ready to go, VJ took over and asked the wheel to pick a category.

"Nobody Said it was Easy!" the group chorused. Timer set to six minutes and fifteen seconds.

Easy, Cynthia Rose thought to herself. The category was Coldplay.

The Bellas had their fun stealing the thunder with the last two rounds by going last and delivering one amazing performance after the other.

But not this time.

This time, they were going in for the kill.

Jessica and Ashley did what they did best, and blended the harmonies for the song, laying down the ground work. Lilly was quick to provide them with an assist on the beats as Cynthia Rose stepped up to sing.

_Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry_   
_You don't know how lovely you are_   
_I had to find you, tell you I need you_   
_Tell you I set you apart_   
_Tell me your secrets and ask me your questions_   
_Oh, let's go back to the start_   
_Running in circles, coming up tails_   
_Heads on a science apart_

Both Vocal-sity and Ryhthmashers looked like they were planning to cut in. The Bellas didn't give them the chance. Amy and Stacie jumped in with Cynthia Rose as the chorus hit. They wanted to win. They were going to win. Everyone was laser-focused on that.

_Nobody said it was easy_   
_It's such a shame for us to part_   
_Nobody said it was easy_   
_No one ever said it would be this hard_

_I'm going back to the start_

Their real opponent, possibly the only group the Bellas acknowledged to be worthy of being their archrivals, were Das Sound Machine. They had a fun rivalry with the Trebles back then, sure. But they couldn't compare to the precision, the discipline, and the skills of the perfectly manufactured acapella singing machines that was DSM.

Case in point, they were the only ones to try and jump in to steal the show, their terrifying twins laying the beats to match the sweet melodies produced by the Bellas.

_Para-para-paradise_

The Bellas tried to fight them off, but when Pieter jumped in, backed with some of DSM's most experienced veterans, they couldn't help but back off.

_When she was just a girl she expected the world_   
_But it flew away from her reach and the bullets catch in her teeth_   
_Life goes on, it gets so heavy_   
_The wheel breaks the butterfly, every tear a waterfall_   
_In the night, the stormy night, she'll close her eyes_   
_In the night, the stormy night, away she'd fly_

_And dream of para-para-paradise_   
_Para-para-paradise_   
_Para-para-paradise_

Chloe wasn't going to give up the fight though. She urged Jessica and Ashley to maintain the harmony of the song, quickly adapting from each one so they could cut off their competition and secure a chance to take back the reigns.

_You know I love you so_

That was exactly what Chloe tried to do, but her initial efforts were buried underneath DSM's dominant performance.

_She'd dream of para-para-paradise_   
_Para-para-paradise_   
_Para-para-paradise_

Aubrey gave Chloe a nod and the former co-captains got the Bellas to rally together to try and steal back the show. Aubrey let Chloe take the lead, with Beca, Emily, Flo and Stacie providing back-up vocals. Cynthia Rose joined Amy and Lilly with helping Jessica and Ashley out.

You know I love you so

The Bellas took over, and Chloe continued the song. Cynthia Rose couldn't help but notice Chloe stealing a glance off Beca as they song, Beca returning the favor.

_Look at the stars_   
_Look how they shine for you_   
_And everything you do_   
_Yeah, they were all yellow_

Those two just seriously needed to get a room already and just get it on. She was sure the Bellas would all love to contribute songs to a rather suggestive playlist to help set the mood.

_I came along_   
_I wrote a song for you_   
_And all the things you do_   
_And it was called "Yellow"_

At the moment though, their two former co-captain's electrifying chemistry, and ten years' worth of built up tension between them, were helping the Bellas captivate the audience. Their competition too.

_Your skin_   
_Oh, yeah, your skin and bones_   
_Turn into something beautiful_   
_And you know_   
_You know I love you so (You know I love you so)_   
_You know I love you so (You know I love you so)_

Sadly the precious moment was interrupted with DSM trying the same trick that the Bellas did earlier, coming in with a mash-up of "Clocks" and "The Scientist" which the Bellas already sang. The Bellas had become too distracted with Beca and Chloe trying – and failing – to be subtle with their stolen glances to be prepared for a quick rebuttal, allowing for DSM to successfully take over.

_And nothing else compares (nobody said it was easy)_   
_Oh, no, nothing else compares (nobody said it was easy)_   
_And nothing else compares (nobody said it was easy)_   
_Oh (nobody said it was easy)_

But Beca wasn't just about to give up. She shot Chloe a knowing look, to which Chloe nodded in response. Jessica and Ashley were quick to back them up, along with Amy and Flo. Beca took the lead with their efforts, while Chloe provided back up by singing bits and pieces of "Yellow" once more. Emily then joined in Chloe's efforts, throwing in an adlib here and there.

_I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing_   
_Roman Cavalry choirs are singing (You know I love you so)_   
_Be my mirror, my sword and shield_   
_My missionaries in a foreign field (Oh look at the stars)_   
_(You know I love you so)_   
_For some reason I can't explain (I wrote a song for you)_   
_Once you go there was never, never an honest word_   
_And that was when I ruled the world (I'm going back to the start)_

DSM were no match against the full forced efforts of the Bellas, especially when Aubrey, Stacie, Lilly, and Cynthia Rose joined in.

_Running in circles, coming up tails (Look at the stars)_   
_Heads on a science apart (Look how they shine for you)_   
_(And everything you do)_

Cynthia Rose caught Amy and Stacie exchanging looks as Beca and Chloe led the Bellas to yet another victory. The timer was rapidly dwindling down to mere seconds before the round ended, a round the Bellas clearly dominated. But what can the competition do but simply stare?

Even the fearless leader of DSM couldn't help but chuckle as she watched the two.

Beca and Chloe looked like they were having fun with each other at the center of the stage that even the Bellas couldn't help but smile.

_Yeah they were all yellow (I wrote a song for you)_   
_You know I love you so (I'm going back to the start)_

_And that was when I ruled the world_

The timer ran out and the round ended with only two teams left standing. DSM and the Bellas. The applause they received didn't sound quite like the ones in the previous rounds. No one was whistling, no one shouting their names. Just an applause. An echoing, thundering, clapping of hands that rained down in support of all of them. Like the ones you hear at the end of a virtuoso's final concerto.

An applause given when the audience was left speechless, and when the music you've made conveyed a message that was more than what the lyrics of a song or the notes played from a piece can ever carry. Because the audience weren't just mesmerized by the Bellas. They felt the connection between all of them as they sung.

More importantly, they felt the connection between the one and only Beca Mitchell, and the love of her life – though she may not be aware of it – Chloe Beale.

But of course, the beautiful moment couldn't last for long. Cynthia Rose looked over to where DSM still stood while VJ and Trace escorted three of the finalists off the stage. She knew they would meet them again during the finals, but for now, one obstacle remained for the Bellas to win the riff-offs and secure the perks-slash-prizes.

It was time for the lightning round.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooh, it's time for the lightning round. Wonder what happens…
> 
> Have you guys been successful at guessing the artist/band behind each category? I feel like some titles were easy to figure out.
> 
> Coldplay Acapella Medley (by Jared Halley): The Scientist, Paradise, Yellow, Clocks, Viva La Vida
> 
> I'm excited for the next chapter. If you thought the Linkin Park chapter was epic, then hold onto your hats for the next one. Or shall I say wigs? Because I'm betting on them getting snatched.


	10. Acapella Rhapsody

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for the lightning round! Who will reign supreme during the preliminaries? DSM or the Bellas? Kommissar or Beca?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since the last one was short, here's a surprise update :D
> 
> Here's the epic conclusion to the preliminary rounds! 
> 
> Which one will end up on top?

Beca was feeling amazing. The Bellas were putting up a good fight. Heck, if she was honest and cared to admit it, the Bellas dominated the last round. But she wouldn't say that out loud. She didn't want to jinx it.

The groups had a few minutes to regroup, rehydrate, and rest while on stage as the host consulted with the judges regarding the rules for the lighting round and escorted the other finalists off the stage. Beca was thankful that at the very least the teams were kept apart. She had Rhian prep her the previous night on how to deal with the enchantingly intimidating tall, gorgeous, specimen leader of DSM. The very someone who never dared avert her gaze away from Beca while they faced off on stage. The last thing she wanted was make a fool of herself again. That, and make Chloe mad, and dare she even say, jealous?

Chloe found it amusing the night before that all she could do was practice insults, at least there was that. Beca wished they could have had the chance to have a proper talk over the past few nights, but with Aubrey having the Bellas go through riff-off drills, and endless ex-co-captains' meetings with her, Emily, and Chloe, Beca was just tired.

The moment her head hit the pillow she was off to dreamland, as it was the case the last five years. Because Beca could only ever sleep when she was exhausted. She wasn't lying to Chloe a few days ago. It just wasn't the same not having her lying right next to Beca. There was a reason why she kept her laptop next to her, mixing software already opened and ready for whenever Beca wakes up and have a hard time getting some sleep again.

They'll have the chance for that talk. Beca was just happy that when she would wake up in the morning, from a full night's sleep, she got to see Chloe next to her.

"What are you smiling about, Shawshank?" Amy asked with a knowing look. "Thinking of something good?" she followed up, wiggling her brows before stealing a glance at Chloe who was busy talking with Jessica and Ashley. Beca wasn't sure why Amy was acting weird but she was thankful to be saved from having to answer Amy's question when the hosts returned to the stage. Talking to Chloe was one thing, telling her friends how she felt about Chloe was another. She wasn't sure how'd they take it, especially since it may seem to come a little out of nowhere.

Jules from the Filharmonic hyped up the crowd before proceeding to explain the rules. The lightning round will have a category chosen by the judges. A timer will be set for the round, like previous rounds. As established, a team must match their competition's harmonies to cut in with a song of their own. But, since it was a lightning round, there was a twist.

Neither the Bellas nor DSM can stop singing.

The Bellas looked at each other confused, even members of DSM weren't sure what they meant. This was a riff-off after all.

Joe stepped up, providing the explanation. "Once a team starts singing with their choice of song, there always has to be at least one member of their team who will perform adlibs, back-ups, or just quickly adopt to the ever changing melodies. The goal is to match the rhythm and keep the melody, the entire thing has to sound pleasant and silky smooth to the ears."

"Sounds like that's right up our alley," Chloe whispered to Beca. "Guess you can say it's our specialty."

Beca chuckled in response. Chloe wasn't lying, but there had to be more to it.

"If a team has all of their members stop singing," Trace then said. "Then they lose."

"If a team fails to jump in and not participate, or if they let their opponent end the song early – which they can do this round – then they lose," VJ added.

"In other words," Niko said, "each team must be ready to jump in and keep the mashed-up riff-off going until the timer ends the round."

To demonstrate, the Filharmonic sang songs by Imagine Dragons. They split into three groups, Jules was by himself, VJ and Niko paired up, while Trace and Joe formed the other team. They kept cutting each other off by matching harmonies, but each pair and Jules always sung, either throwing in an adlib from their song or maintaining the remixed melodies. The end result was a glorious mash-up medley of "Whatever it takes", "Believer", and "Thunder."

The teams were given three minutes to strategize. The Bellas all huddled together. Aubrey asked Ashley, Jessica, and Lilly, who typically carried the beats and the harmonies that blended all their voices together into one sweet melody, to never stop singing. She had confidence in their skill to quickly adopt to the changes. The Bellas all agreed that whoever had an idea first would just jump in with a song, and the rest would quickly follow the lead. They can't let themselves be dominated by DSM.

"So, are you all ready?" Jules asked, after the three minutes were up. When both teams resumed their positions, the Filharmonic revealed their category.

"Acapella Rhapsody!"

_Queen,_ Beca instantly thought. The category title wasn't even present in the wheel of musical categories from earlier, it was probably reserved for the lightning round. That's why the challenge for this round was to not stop singing. To produce the most eargasmic acapella rhapsody in honor of Queen.

Beca glanced at the screen on stage, timer was set at 7 minutes flat – seven full minutes of either aca-heaven or aca-hell. She saw the Kommissar ready to start. Beca wanted to jump in before she did to kick things off – she was not going to let Luisa take control of this – but Aubrey beat her to it, pulling Stacie in for a duet. Jessica and Ashley were quick to provide the back-up they needed.

_Can anybody find me somebody to love?_

Beca grabbed Lilly, getting an idea, one quickly enacted upon. This was a special riff-off mash-up after all.

_Buddy, you're a boy, make a big noise  
Playing in the street, gonna be a big man someday  
You got mud on your face, you big disgrace  
Kicking your can all over the place, singin'_

The rest of the Bellas picked up on what she had in mind. Beca exchanged knowing looks with her friends, each of them nodding to confirm what they were all thinking.

_We will, we will rock you  
We will, we will rock you  
Ohhhhh  
We will, we will rock you  
We will, we will rock you_

Chloe and Flo picked up on where Stacie and Aubrey left off with the other song.

_Somebody to love  
Find me somebody to love  
Somebody to love_

Just as DSM tried to cut in, some of their members blending harmonies with Jessica and Ashley while Pieter belted out a line from one of their selected songs.

_Mama, oooh_

Luisa jumping in with their second choice, fighting Beca and the Bellas with their same trademark style of acapella mash-ups.

_We are the champions my friend_

_Mama, oooh_

But Beca wasn't going to just buckle down and bend over to Luisa.

_Buddy, you're a young man, hard man  
Shouting in the street, gonna take on the world someday  
You got blood on your face, you big disgrace  
Waving your banner all over the place_

Resulting in a clash of songs between the Bellas and DSM.

_Mama, oooh_

_Can anybody (can anybody) find me_

With a little more push from their fearless leader, DSM managed to take over the lead, reducing the Bellas to just Flo, Jessica, Ashley, and Lilly singing, trying to help keep the Bellas afloat by throwing adlibs here and there.

_We are the champions, my friends_

_(oh, find me love)_

_And we'll keep on fighting till the end_

_(oh, find me love)_

Beca gathered the rest of the Bellas, her favorite group of nerds coming up with ways to stop DSM from completely dominating the lightning round. Aubrey was the first to break free from their huddle, updating Ashley and Jessica of their battle plans in a hushed tone.

_We are the champions  
We are the champions  
No time for losers  
'Cause we are the champions of the World_

This allowed for a smooth transition for Emily as she jumped in to take the lead for the next song they had in mind.

_I'm a shooting star leaping through the sky  
Like a tiger defying the laws of gravity  
I'm a racing car passing by like Lady Godiva  
I'm gonna go, go, go  
There's no stopping me  
I'm burnin' through the sky, yeah  
200 degrees  
That's why they call me Mister Fahrenheit  
I'm travelling at the speed of light  
I wanna make a supersonic man out of you_

The Bellas backed up their youngest member, taking over center stage and pushing DSM back. They were giving it their all.

_Don't stop me now  
I'm having such a good time  
I'm having a ball  
(Don't stop me now)  
If you wanna have a good time just give me a call  
(Don't stop me now)  
'Cause I'm having a good time  
(Don't stop me now)  
Yes, I'm havin' a good time  
I don't want to stop at all_

But DSM found the perfect opening, and Pieter jumped in with a bit of theatricality to pick up on a song they tried earlier.

_I'm just a poor boy and nobody loves me_

The Bellas were once again kept to blending their harmonies with DSM, looking for openings where they can jump in and try to steal back the main spotlight. DSM weren't going to give up without a fight though, with Luisa leading the rest of their cavalry to back up her right-hand man.

_He's just a poor boy from a poor family  
Spare him his life from this monstrosity  
Easy come easy go - will you let me go  
Bismillah! No - we will not let you go - let him go  
Bismillah! We will not let you go - let him go  
Bismillah! We will not let you go - let me go  
Will not let you go - let me go (never)  
Never let you go - let me go  
Never let me go – ooo  
No, no, no, no, no, no, no -  
Oh mama mia, mama mia, mama mia let me go  
Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me  
For me  
For me_

DSM tried to stir the contest to an early close, giving Beca all the motivation she needed to produce the best acapella mash-up of her life. She pulled Chloe along with her, signaling to the rest of the Bellas to come join her.

_Mama, oooh  
Nothing really matters  
Anyone can see_

Beca quickly let Ashley, Jessica, and Lilly know what she was planning, the two already weaving in the beats of the song she planned to start singing once more, to allow for that silky smooth transition that the judges were looking for.

_Nothing really matters  
Nothing really matters  
To me_

The Bellas jumped in perfectly to bring back the song that Aubrey and Stacie started with, this time with Beca taking the lead, Aubrey and Stacie being her main back-up.

_Ooh, each morning I get up I die a little  
Can barely stand on my feet  
(Take a look at yourself) Take a look in the mirror and cry (and cry)  
Lord, what you're doing to me (yeah yeah)  
I have spent all my years in believing you  
But I just can't get no relief, Lord!  
Somebody (somebody) ooh somebody (somebody)  
Can anybody find me somebody to love?_

Chloe then takes the solo.

_Find me somebody to love_

Stacie joined her for a duet as they repeated the line.

_Find me somebody to love_

Then Aubrey.

_Find me somebody to love_

Emily added a fourth voice to the next lyrical line.

_Find me somebody to love_

Then Amy, who starts clapping along to the song.

_Find me somebody to love_

Next was Flo, following Amy's lead.

_Find me somebody to love_

And then Cynthia Rose.

_Find me somebody to love_

Lilly maintained the beats while Jessica and Ashley kept the melody as Beca once again took over.

_Can anybody find me somebody to love?  
Oh, to love_

Emily decided join Beca by picking up her song from earlier as well, with Flo backing her up.

_Don't stop me now (Don't stop me now)_

But DSM was done being in the background. They were no means the back-up. Luisa took the lead with Pieter to try and get back in the game.

_Nothing really matters, nothing really matters to me_

_Mama, oooh_

Chloe was quick to respond, not allowing them to have the final note. Behind her, Jessica, Ashley, Lilly, and the core of DSM produced the most harmonious melodies to keep things fresh and free-flowing between the songs.

_Find me somebody to love_

Luisa tried to insist. They were going to take over.

_We are the champions, my friend_

But Chloe doubled down on her efforts. And of course Beca joined her with the fight. She wasn't going to let Chloe fight back the she-devil that won't quit all by herself.

_Find me somebody to love (Find me somebody to love)  
Anybody find me_

The Bellas and DSM maintained the mixed harmonies as Luisa manages to add one more line to their perfectly combined mix.

_Nothing really matters, nothing really matters to me_

And just like that, time was up.

* * *

It was a draw.

Of course it's a draw, the rules were clear, although Chloe thought that the Bellas should have totally won.

_Oh well, at least we didn't lose,_ Chloe thought to herself.

The audience erupted in applause and cheers. Even their hosts who were hanging back behind the teams had a look of pure awe on their faces, clapping at the excellence that both the Bellas and DSM displayed. Both teams put out a performance that would make even Freddie Mercury proud.

Jules ran over to the where the judges were to confirm how they would proceed. With no sole winner, some details still needed to be clarified. In the meantime, the rest of the Filharmonic repeated their schpill about the special edition of the Worlds, the incredibly generous sponsors, and the charities that would be helped by their ticket purchases. When Jules returned, he confirmed that the lightning round indeed ended with a draw but that doesn't mean that the prizes and perks were going to be split.

"We'll just have to have a round two," Jules said, "but alas, dear friends, not here."

The Bellas all exchanged looks of confusion. DSM were more intrigued by what he meant.

"The Halloween Bash, where the supposed winner of the riff-offs would perform, would become the Bellas and DSM's next battleground," he announced. "Details of the special round 2 match-up will be revealed over time, the winner of that round will earn the prizes and perks set for the riff-off champion. An additional prize will be set in exchange of the Halloween performance."

The Filharmonic wrapped up their hosting duties as the teams were asked to exit their respective sides of the stage. The Bellas were a little disappointed they didn't secure the win just yet, but they were looking forward to the next round in a few months' time. Chloe felt the same, although she was a bit happy too. If the Bellas had won this round, it might take more than just a few months to see Beca again, with the finals set in the early spring of the following year. With an event in the middle where they need to compete and not just practice songs to perform, there would be more video calls and scheduled visits. She could see Beca more, and have a good excuse of securing her time.

Was it selfish? Yes.

But damn it, she hasn't seen Beca in what felt like forever, and even when they were in the same room together, Beca was constantly ushered away by other people who missed her, or are excited to meet her. Case in point, the moment they stepped backstage, she was flooded by all the other teams, members of Final Frequency taking the lead.

Most of the Bellas proceeded to their waiting room, chatting about the riff-offs and celebration plans that can't be too crazy because most of them were going back to their everyday routine the next day, with flights out of LA already booked. Chloe decided to hang around, watching Beca sign autographs and take pictures with her fans, something Chloe was still trying to get used too.

She told herself before, she wasn't going to hold Beca back and that she would set her free – since she wasn't hers to begin with – and let her shine. Chloe just didn't realize how hard it was going to be to share her with the world.

As the crowd of acapella teams thinned out, Chloe saw the fearless leader of DSM make her way towards where Beca was. Chloe was quick to her feet to reach Beca as well. She knew that Beca had been preparing for this moment, but when it came to the Kommissar, anything can happen.

Thankfully, Rhian reached Luisa before the leader of DSM could even reach Beca. She came close though, stopping short only a few feet away.

Chloe took this chance to save Beca, Rhian handling the DSM she-wolf with a line about Beca needing rest but that she appreciates all her fans equally, that she would get a chance to talk to Beca later on, considering they were all heading to the finals, and reminded Luisa that Beca has social media accounts to follow – ones that Rhian had a hand in running, as she recalled Beca explaining to her when they caught up, to help carefully curate Beca's public image over the years. Chloe couldn't help but laugh a little as she heard it, pulling Beca away. Rhian was definitely good. If only she wasn't cold and aloof to the Bellas, especially Chloe.

But Chloe shrugged it off for now. "So, special after party at the house of the one and only Beca Mitchell?" she asked Beca.

Beca laughed. "Where else?"

Chloe beamed, updating Beca where the girls had gone to, daring to reach out and hold Beca's hand. To her delight, Beca was quick to interlace their fingers as they walked back to the Bellas' waiting room, already drawing up plans for the next round.

Chloe smiled. She missed performing with the Bellas, talking to Beca about set-lists, practice, all of it. But mostly, she just missed sharing these moments with Beca.

Life at Barden, and even in New York with Beca, had been a special kind of dream – one she lost with one rash decision after another after the USO tour. Chloe hoped she could fix her mistakes and turn that dream into reality once more, all from this chance that she was given.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, at least the Bellas didn't lose for once, yeah? The extension of their challenge should come soon (it's gonna be a spooky chapter or two), but we'll get a bit of break from the competition in the next one.
> 
> Mash-ups mentioned and Medley's performed are in the playlist and are listed below. Seriously, check both out, especially the Queen one. You won't be disappointed.
> 
> Imagine Dragons Mash-Up (by Sam Tsui): Believer/Thunder/Whatever it Takes
> 
> Queen Acapella Mash-up Medley (by Jared Halley): We Will Rock You, We are the Champions, Don't Stop Me Know, Bohemian Rhapsody, Somebody to Love
> 
> Playlist in the link below
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbWZQ6nwYXxFjX9z3vft3leEz7dN9K_5


	11. Never Gonna Give You Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summer has arrived and the Bellas gear up for the Halloween Bash. Beca decides to drop by Atlanta to help her former co-captains prepare for their unexpected face-off against their archrivals, DSM, all while hoping to get some time alone with Chloe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Here's another surprise upload (I like keeping you guys on your toes) ft. Beca and Chloe. Next update will most definitely be on Sunday as I'm busy both tomorrow and Saturday.
> 
> Also, chapter 7 and 8 were supposed to be together. Chapter's 9 and 10 as well (kinda' like how there were two rounds of the riff-off for chapter 6), but I ended up splitting them apart because it was easier to manage/write for me. Because of that, this fic will no longer have 25 chapters. It will have 27 chapters all in all. Just wanted to update y'all.
> 
> Comments and reviews are always appreciated.

Coming from the high of a somewhat successful riff-off and preliminary rounds for the special iteration of the Worlds, Chloe thought that maybe things would slowly go back to the way they were.

The Bellas group chat was as alive as ever, video calls were constantly scheduled, and everyone was in such high spirits in the beginning of the following months. It helped that a week since going back to their normal lives, the judges for the competition sent out the details for their special second round against DSM. A Halloween acapella medley face off, with both teams required to incorporate Michael Jackson's "Thriller" into their performance. Ideas were abound, even Beca, who was typically busy, volunteered to mess around with some preliminary set lists. The Halloween Bash will be in Atlanta, with the specifics for the event going to be sent out to them a month before.

The former team captains – Beca, Emily, Aubrey, and Chloe – scheduled separate video calls for themselves to try and brain storm ideas, combine their strengths and expertise with each other to beat out the competition. They wanted the perks, even if it wasn't the jaw-dropping main prize, and the bragging rights. They were the Barden Bellas after all. They beat DSM once, they can beat them again.

However, the month of enthusiasm that followed their successful stint in the prelims eventually ran out of days, and real life caught up to them. Soon, the Bellas were struggling to keep the video calls on the regular. Some got postponed, some required some rescheduling, always missing out a member or two due to conflicts. Finalizing the set list was a struggle, and they can't exactly fine tune things and figure out what's working or not when they can't all be in the same room together. They had to get creative with practice. One that was broken up into pieces based on whoever was available to attend. Nailing down the choreography proved to be an even bigger challenge. There was only so much video call technology can provide in assisting them all in perfecting it.

What annoyed Chloe even more? Beca. She was always busy with something, interrupted by either Theo or Rhian or Gus. She was right there, across her screen, Chloe having an opportunity to re-establish old bonds, ones that at times she felt never broke. But with Beca always being distracted by a project, a recording, an interview, an event, or whatever else commitment she's made, Chloe couldn't help but feel the distance that's grown between them. Beca was there, her image at least, with Chloe finding it difficult to reach out and touch her, feel her presence at least.

The few days they shared during Amy's wedding and the riff-offs were a blessing. But Chloe couldn't help but want more. It was like she was starved of contact with Beca, and the fear that she was falling down her list of priorities – of the people that matter to her – wasn't helping Chloe at all.

Because she didn't want to just be some old friend from college, or a former roommate.

She wanted more.

 _And really, whose fault is it that?_ Chloe asked herself as she slumped down her couch, exhausted from another day of work. Summer had come, and the months have passed. The reality of how things were going with the competition and how the Bellas could reconnect were failing her expectations.

_Was growing up ever as hard is this?_

Somehow, she couldn't let go of her sentiments about how perfect life had been at Barden. It wasn't ideal, but it was as sweet as a dream could be. She wasn't with Beca in a way she wanted to be, but at least she had her near.

Chloe groaned. It pained her to admit it, but she was jealous of Beca's work and success. Not in the way most people would. She was jealous of how much it took her away from Chloe.

But oh well, there was always tomorrow to look forward to. In Chloe's case, she meant it literally. Beca would be in Atlanta for four days. The famous artist-slash-DJ-slash-music producer extraordinaire was going to be split up between work commitments and working with Stacie, Aubrey, and Chloe. She was already dreading Aubrey going all full commander-mode that she'd end up eating up whatever free time Beca had, but Chloe would rather have Beca physically near and around her sphere over the distance that Chloe could increasingly feel between them. That damned distance that shouldn't have ever been there in the first place.

But those four days proved even more trying for Chloe than the past few months of simply circling around Beca's orbit all because of the one thing that still bound them together. Being once a Barden Bella.

It wasn't Beca's fault. She tried. As soon as she got to Atlanta, the first thing Beca did was seek out Chloe. Okay, maybe not the first thing, because Beca had work commitments to fulfill the moment her private plane had landed. But the first thing that Beca did after that was to seek out Chloe for sure.

Beca looked like an excited puppy, surprising even Chloe when she all but ran towards her for a hug, one that lasted for a good five minutes of just standing still – Chloe knows, she counted each treasured second that passed – before Rhian, who was with Theo, Rob, and Gus behind them, reminded Beca that they were in the streets of some apartment complex near midtown and not in the privacy of her hotel suite. Beca grumbled before reluctantly letting Chloe go. It was followed by a lengthy lecture of people can see the way she was behaving publicly, that she had an image to maintain, and that she shouldn't cling so tightly onto Chloe... Chloe tuned out the rest of it for the most part, but Rhian kept up with the lecture as they made their way into the building and up the floor to where Chloe's apartment was. Beca seemed like she was simply ignoring Rhian too, making faces as she reached out to link her arms with Chloe in defiance.

Chloe had hoped that was the good beginning of Beca's short trip. But so far it proved to be the peak. The next few days have been extra trying for her.

Beca was behaving a little differently than usual, like something had been on her mind. She was constantly trying to talk to Chloe or at least find some time for the two to be alone. But alas, that never did happen. After their brief reunion, Beca, as Chloe feared, had pretty much been monopolized by Aubrey. A lot was riding on the competition – money that could help out most of the Bellas, especially after the pandemic – so Chloe understood why Aubrey wanted to make the most of Beca's time to perfect the set list and get everything squared off for their performance and costumes. That was very much understandable.

Theo bugging Beca about projects, also understandable. Gus too.

Rhian constantly reminding Beca how to act in public, capturing incredibly choreographed photos of the former co-captains at work so she could post it on Beca's social media – which, Chloe had to admit, she didn't realize that Rhian had pretty much full control of – was irritating at best. She let that slip too, admitting to herself that there's just so much she doesn't know going on behind the scenes of the lives of the rich and famous.

The fact that Beca constantly got mobbed every time they finally seemed to have alone time on top everything else? Yeah, that was pretty much the tipping point for Chloe.

She barely got Beca for half a day on the first day. They couldn't spend time alone in her apartment because Aubrey kept popping by. Beca had the idea of just grabbing dinner out at a really nice restaurant, just the two of them, to catch up, but then someone recognized Beca and asked for a picture. That's fine. But at some point everyone in the restaurant wanted a picture with her, some overstayed the welcome and decided to chat her up. The fans were okay, Chloe found it endearing whenever they'd compliment Beca and the so-called badass DJ would blush and stay humble. What annoyed Chloe the most were the pompous arrogant jerks who kept trying to chat Beca up and ask her out, or the incredibly self-absorbed trust fund kids who kept asking Beca if she was seeing "that hot artist" she got to work with six months ago, or some other DJ, performer, or model. The idea of Beca shacking up with some pretty boy – or girl for that matter, though no one ever asked that specifically – was driving Chloe insane. She was ready to deck the next guy who thought he was all that special to ask Beca out. Beca was mostly polite and kept to a script – from what Chloe could tell – of what to say in response to each question. It was as if she was anticipating each and every one of them. In the end, they barely got a word in with each other.

Day two wasn't much different. Most of Beca's work commitments were on day two so Chloe didn't get to see her much that day. Beca invited Chloe, Stacie, and Aubrey back in her hotel suite that evening for dinner – courtesy of the hotel's room service – and to continue working on the kinks for the Bellas performance. Stacie brought Bella with her and that was enough to entertain Rob, Gus, and Theo who appointed themselves her babysitter. Rhian mostly worked and left them alone. For a while, Chloe was left to relive moments she thought she'd never get to see again after graduating from Barden. But that went on until the early morning. Stacie, Bella, and Aubrey stayed in the pullout bed in the suite's living area. Beca's people all went to their separate rooms. Beca once again invited for Chloe to bunk with her in her bed, wanting to talk to her about something, but as soon as Chloe finished getting ready for bed, Beca was fast asleep, exhausted from the day she's had.

Enter day three, where Beca had a few morning meetings at the old label company she worked with, Residual Heat. Beca had most of the day free after that, asking if Chloe had a busy day of work ahead of her. She did, which was disappointing, but Beca once again managed to surprise her by sweet-talking her way into just chilling at the vet clinic. She managed to ditch Theo, Gus, and Rhian. Rob was the only one with her, and he waited outside. The other vets kept her in the back, at the break room, and Beca "I hate small talks" Mitchell ended up chatting with Chloe's coworkers, got some work done, and patiently waited for Chloe.

"Maybe we should just do dinner at your place," Beca had told her as they left, reminding Chloe of what happened the last time they went out.

But, of course, Aubrey got all panicky about not having perfected their set enough – really, the set was fine, the real problem was how they can practice it – or if they needed to add or remove parts, change anything at all. Chloe and Beca ended up at Aubrey and Stacie's apartment instead, pizza being called in for delivery instead of a quiet night in. Beca got to play with Bella a bit during their down time, something that Chloe thought was adorable, but it was pretty much back to work once again, even calling Emily in on a surprise video call.

At some point, Chloe excused herself and told Beca to just drop by whenever she was finished with Aubrey. Her best friend looked apologetic, promising Chloe they just needed to go over a few more things and then Beca was all hers.

An hour and a half pass and still no Beca. Somewhere deep in Chloe's mind, she truly believed, at least once upon a time, that no matter what happened, she and Beca would be inseparable. That already proved false. But she also believed that things would never get out of hand, that the thing that happened during Beca's senior year at Barden when she was all checked out because of the pressure of the Worlds and her internship would never take her away from Chloe again.

For her part, Beca was doing her way to keep that true.

But life seemed to have other plans.

Tired of waiting and wanting to quiet down the irrational thoughts of her mind, Chloe decided to start playing on the keyboard in her living room. The keyboard belonged to the one and only Beca Mitchell, it was something she had left behind when she moved out and moved onto the bigger and brighter things in life. At first Chloe kept to old pieces she knew when she was younger and had piano lessons. They soon turned to old songs she loved, then they morphed to the ones she sang with the Bellas and with Beca as another half hour was about to come to pass, until she started playing and singing songs that simply reminded her of Beca and best expressed the frustrations starting to overwhelm her.

_Oh look, I don't wanna feel like somebody  
But nothing else ever feels like your body  
'Cause we held the world, we were turning it  
For a moment there, it was permanent_

Because what was she thinking? That the world would stop and still? That it would start running in reverse to bring back those days she missed? The ones she kept safe, locked up in her heart, and treasured the most?

Or that things now would suddenly follow the same trajectory of the good old days? That even when she and Beca weren't exactly together, she would be the one that held all of her attention? Because Jesse was right when they spoke in Amy's wedding, even when Beca Mitchell had a boyfriend, her first priority had always been Chloe. She always made time for her, she was on top of the list of those most important for Beca. She didn't have to compete with fans, or work, or anything else that made Chloe feel for the first time in her life that she was the one getting left behind.

As if the fears she held years back, the ones that kept her rooted in Barden, were finally coming to pass.

_I drive the streets when you told me your secrets  
We made mistakes, but we both didn't mean it  
And we held the world, we were turning it  
For a moment there, it was permanent_

"I'm glad you're putting that old thing to good use," Chloe heard. Her fingers stilled on top of the smooth keys and turned to find Beca smiling apologetically in her front door.

"Aren't you coming in?" Chloe asked.

"I just wanted to make sure you still want me to be here," Beca replied weakly as she stepped inside and closed the door behind her. "Sorry, I just have a feeling you're upset."

"I'm not," Chloe lied. Beca was usually very dense. Yet another one of her pleasant surprises this time around was reading Chloe easily. But Chloe didn't want to admit what was upsetting her in the first place. She knew they were irrational thoughts, but she couldn't help how she felt. Not when Beca was that one thing that she's wanted the most, and everything that's happened the past five years only made things so much harder for them, when Chloe thought it would be easier.

That's why she tried to let go, to move on.

But she was so, so wrong.

How can she make up all that lost time now and remove that distance between them? How, when Beca was slowly becoming harder and harder to reach? It's not because Beca was being distant, but because of their current circumstance. They didn't even live in the same city, much less the same state. They were literally on opposite sides of the country.

Beca looked thoughtful for a minute. Chloe, afraid that Beca could see right through it, decided to change the topic. She needed to make the most of the time they had, before Beca had to go away, and that time was nearing. Beca only had one more day left. "Are you gonna be leaving soon?"

"I should be," Beca replied, "if I had anything to do tomorrow, but I didn't plan for anything that day. I had a feeling from the video calls that the Aca-Nazi had partially reawakened in Aubrey and I wanted to make sure that I had some time left I can spend with you."

Chloe smiled, "You've really levelled up your conversation skills there, Mitchell."

Beca shrugged. "It's kinda' required, Beale. Besides, the one thing I've learned the last five years is that time isn't as infinite as we thought it would be when were younger. The never-ending days have an end," Beca replied, trying to stifle a yawn. She was tired, making Chloe consider the truth behind the sentiments Beca had expressed the last time the Bellas got together. That it was all work, non-stop, the last five years.

"You should rest," Chloe replied. "You can stay here the night if you want, and we can make breakfast together. I don't have to work tomorrow."

Beca smirked. "Perfect then, waffles? Blueberry?"

Chloe chuckled, somethings never changed. "Yes, now come on," she replied, ushering Beca to her bedroom.

She let Beca change and get ready before she did. Beca was doing her best to stay awake, waiting for Chloe as she clung onto her pillows. As soon as Chloe laid next to her, Beca scooted over and cuddled with her.

"Were you always this needy?" Chloe teased.

"Shut up, I know you're loving this," Beca replied sleepily. "Besides," she went on to say, stifling yet another yawn, Beca struggling to say what she had left to say as she did her best to fight off sleep, "what I was saying earlier… I just… I don't want the days with you to end…"

"Yeah, but you're still leaving soon," Chloe replied once she knew for sure that Beca had fallen asleep in her arms. "I wish you weren't. I wish you'd stay, Becs."

* * *

Beca unexpectedly woke up earlier than Chloe did. For a little while, she decided to just stay still, studying every detail of Chloe's face which was mere inches away from Beca's. She enjoyed the fact that she had her arms around her, and that their legs were entangled with each other. She wanted to make sure she wasn't just dreaming this. Somewhere deep inside, Beca knew this was how things should be.

But then her stomach grumbled. She was starving.

Not wanting to stir Chloe awake, Beca thought she could sneak off to the kitchen and make breakfast instead. Chloe was the one who was usually up first, waking Beca up with the smell of chocolate chip pancakes or her favorite blueberry waffles. It's not like Beca was terrible at cooking. It was just that she would always end up making the easiest thing she could make. Either grabbing cereals, or making toast that she can eat as she walked out of the apartment. Sometimes, if Chloe was in a rush, she'd end up just grabbing a bagel out. Back at Barden, she had a meal pass that to care of her needs. Sometimes Flo would be in the mood to cook up a big brunch for the girls, or Jessica and Ashley would have a bake-off so there would be muffins and cupcakes already on a tray in the kitchen, ready for whoever wanted one.

Nowadays she had a personal chef prepping meals for her. During the Bellas' visit, the girls had their turns based on whoever was up first. It was a nice change for her. Chloe didn't get a turn, the two of them both seemingly lazy to get up in the morning that Aubrey had to drag them up for their riff-off drills. She was really hoping this time she could get the chance to taste Chloe's cooking again, but Beca figured she could also try turning things around. A nice gesture, perhaps. How hard could it be to try and copy Chloe's recipe?

It turns out, cooking was just not Beca's best talent. The kitchen wasn't a mess because Beca cleaned up after herself with every step of the way, but the waffles didn't turn out right. They weren't burnt, well, not all of them. They weren't bad either. They just weren't Chloe's perfectly scrumptious ones that got Beca always wanting for seconds.

_Kiss you each morning  
With strawberry skies  
'Cause I get so lost in  
Your blueberry eyes  
I'm running through my dreams to  
See you in the light  
'Cause I get so lost in  
Your blueberry eyes_

Beca started singing as she tried to make another batch, one that she hoped would impress Chloe. She could eat the somewhat lackluster batch and make Chloe a better one. The two of them had all day to hang out after, so there wasn't any rush. See, Beca's got a plan. She shot a quick message to her dad the night before. They haven't exactly talked for months – Beca's really bad with keeping in touch with people – nor have they seen each other since the pandemic but she thankfully got a reply for her requests already waiting in her inbox by the time she woke up. He agreed to help her out, secure a location for her and Chloe to just be, for as long as she agreed to dinner, Chloe could come as well. Beca accepted the offer.

One song lead to another, then another. Beca used each song to time herself for each step of the process, until she finished the second batch of waffles and started plating it.

_Can't we just talk?  
Can't we just talk?  
Talk about where we're goin'  
Before we get lost  
Let me out first  
Can't get what we want without knowin'  
I've never felt like this before  
I apologize if I'm movin' too far  
Can't we just talk?  
Can't we just talk?  
Figure out where we're goin'_

"Now this is a sight I never thought I'd see," Chloe said as Beca sung, finishing up the second batch of waffles. "And how many do you intend to feed, Becs?" she asked amused.

Beca was hoping she could at least taste this batch before Chloe woke up, and decide if it was indeed better than the first. It's not like she had much choice. She couldn't make a third one given the fact that she's pretty much used up all the blueberries Chloe had. But she could at least serve Chloe the better of the two.

But Beca got distracted for a second, not able to respond right away. She had to hand it to whoever designed Chloe's apartment, because the natural lighting flooding in through the blinds in the morning definitely made Chloe look like some ethereal goddess standing in her living room right then and there, leaving her nearly speechless. "Guess I got carried away," Beca eventually managed to reply.

Chloe laughed, all amused by Beca's behavior as she pulled herself up on a stool next to her kitchen counter and grabbed the fresh plate Beca had prepared. Beca looked nervous, only ever breathing again once Chloe's face lit up after her first bite. "These are pretty good! Not bad, Becs. I suppose you've gotten a lot of practice the last couple of years."

Beca's brows kitted together. "You're really not letting that thought go, huh?" she replied, wondering what she's done to even make Chloe consider the thought of her having stupid love affairs with a parade of people, or for that matter putting in the effort of making breakfast for anyone else.

"I meant for yourself," Chloe noted with a chuckle.

"Good," Beca then said. "Because you know, you're the only one I'll even consider making breakfast for. And for your information, I hadn't have to cook for myself the last couple of years."

"Then how did you not burn down my kitchen?" Chloe threw back with a smile. Beca pretended to be annoyed by the comment before they eventually settled down to having light conversations, planning for the day ahead.

Beca called Rob afterwards with instructions on where to pick them up and where to go after breakfast. She helped Chloe clear up the dishes, and the two got ready for their day out, Chloe lending clothes for Beca to use for the day. "Maybe we should throw in a cap and a pair of sunglasses so you don't get recognized."

"That actually only draws more attention," Beca noted. "Don't worry, I've got everything figured out, Chlo."

Barden wasn't too far away from Atlanta. The drive was a reasonable half hour or so, depending on the flow of traffic. Chloe was pretty much confused as to why Beca decided to visit Barden of all places, convinced that the likelihood of Beca getting mobbed by fans would exponentially increase with visiting their alma mater.

But Beca simply smirked, unyielding to Chloe's persistent questions. They passed a few familiar buildings, some looked like they were under renovation. Soon, Rob parked the car not far from where the abandoned pool was, the one where they used to hold riff-offs for the acapella teams at Barden. Chloe's curiosity was piqued even more about what they were doing there.

"My dad mentioned that they've been doing many renovations at Barden, sprucing up the place. I asked if the abandoned pool was still abandoned and, well, he pointed out that it was. Students are avoiding the place for now because of the construction work being done around the nearby buildings. I thought this would be the perfect place to just hang out for a bit. Besides, the university's pretty quiet with summer vacation fully underway, and only a few students stick around for the summer. Most of them are grad students busy with their own research or something at this time of the day. We could hang here for a while, go through a drive through if we get hungry, and Rob will just drive us around. We probably should avoid the Bellas house though, in case some of the new kids are home, because we'll definitely get mobbed there."

Chloe whistled impressed. "You've thought of everything."

"What part of I missed you isn't clear?" Beca asked, offering a hand to Chloe. "Now come on, we haven't had proper alone time since we've seen each other again. Let's make the most of this, Chlo."

Chloe smiled lightly, accepting Beca's hand. They found themselves sitting by the edge of the abandoned pool, reminiscing for a little while about the memories they've made at Barden before eventually talking about bits and pieces of their life in New York that they also missed.

The conversation flowed between them naturally, Chloe mostly continuing her questions about Beca's life now. Beca was careful and treaded lightly on matters she couldn't really discuss. The truth was, as much as she loved living her dream, succeeding and surviving the music industry wasn't as simple as she thought. She was thankful that she met the right people at the right time. That helped her get started and established, introducing her to others who helped sorted out contracts, deals, and the legalities of the business side of things. It's because she met good people, that's why she hasn't fallen off the deep end.

There were parts of the business she never agreed with, things she weren't willing to do in exchange for fame. It saved her from following the more destructive path some artists end up on, but Beca found herself working twice as hard to keep up with the ever changing tides of the wills and wants of her new world.

Beca, for her part, also asked Chloe her own questions. About the life she lived now, her job, her usual routines, and how she's getting on at Atlanta. She avoided the ones relating to any potential romantic interests. Beca never thought of herself as the jealous type, she never was with Jesse, so it was a surprise awakening for her to realize just how much she wanted to hate Chicago, or any partners Chloe might have had the past few years that Beca whipped up in her active imagination. Chloe ended up answering the question lingering in Beca's mind either way, pretty much explaining how she's just mostly dedicated her time to finishing vet school after breaking up with Chicago, then her job and helping babysit Bella.

"Still doubt no one tried charming you through their pets," Beca found herself commenting.

"Maybe some did, I just never paid much attention," Chloe commented. "But I could say the same for you. Some artists are always on the news cycle for a romance, especially when they have a big project coming up with other artists. The only thing I ever hear about you are either work, or fans trying to figure out your mysterious private life."

Beca chuckled. "Yet another thing you should probably know, Chlo, those news cycles on romance near a big project? That's all PR. Thankfully, Rhian has managed to keep selling the mystery angle that I don't have to get into a contractual relationship with someone."

"They're not real?" Chloe pressed on.

"Nope," Beca replied, shaking her head. "Some specifically note in the contracts if their willing to have sex with each other for legalities sake from what I've learned, but anything more than a physical relationship isn't really true. The ones in the gossip sites aren't either, usually a PR agent from an artist sends them the story to print. Fabricated to promote an album or drum up interest for a new single. Don't get me wrong. Some relationships in the industry are real, and sometimes fake ones become real, but they're rare. Everything's all business."

"Huh, well maybe it's just 'cause Rhian wants you for herself," Chloe then teased. "you know, that's why she is entertaining the mystery angle."

"Highly doubt that," Beca said, dismissing Chloe's guess. Rhian was like Amy. She's got her men all wrapped up in her fingers.

"Maybe Theo asked her," Chloe then pressed on.

This time Beca laughed. If Theo ever liked her, he never said anything, probably because he figured out Beca's feelings for Chloe before she even did. He's been a good bro at best.

"Seriously, nothing?" Chloe persisted to ask.

Beca shook her head. "You know, Chlo, if you were that interested in solving the mystery of my life the past five years, you could have just called. You had my number."

Chloe looked thoughtful for a minute. "Well, you never did either."

Beca bit her lip and nodded. The answer was real simple. It was because of her pride. Just the thought of Chloe being with Chicago hurt, and Beca couldn't risk it. Old habits prevailed, and she withdrew behind her walls, afraid to give that power of getting her heart broken to Chloe.

But that's not what Beca said. She didn't want to just dump all that on Chloe in one go. "It was just easier," Beca at the very least admitted. "I didn't want to disturb anything in your life," she went on to say, hinting at Chloe's past with Chicago. "I needed you, Chlo, but when the messages stopped, when you checking in became less and less, I just figured you've probably moved on with your life too. I didn't want to prove to myself that was true. Your excuse?"

Chloe looked away, casting her glance far down the bottom of the empty pool. "I don't know. I guess… At the end of the tour, the Bellas were all going their separate ways, and you were given an opportunity of a lifetime. I was afraid I'd end up being the one who held you back, because I needed you too, Becs. I wasn't sure if I could handle sharing you with... I just didn't feel like I still fitted in your ever growing world."

"But you are, Chlo…" Beca instantly let slip upon hearing what Chloe said. She froze for a second when she realized that she nearly told Chloe that she was her world, so of course she would fit. She wanted to talk to Chloe about what she felt, sure, but in that moment she felt that four letter word get caught up in her throat, threatening to just slip out. While Beca knew the truth, she just wasn't ready to say _that_ word out loud, at least not yet. She never even said it to Jesse during the time they dated, she always found ways of going around it, saying "ditto" or "right back at you" when Jesse would profess his love for her.

But with Chloe, it was very hard to keep those words locked up inside Beca.

"I mean, you still do… fit," she backtracked. "I can't imagine it without you at all," she let herself admit as much. This was her way of taking baby steps to get there. She wanted to start somewhere small. She wasn't sure she was ready to take a giant leap yet, especially when she wasn't even sure how Chloe would respond. But she wanted to let Chloe know just how important she was to her.

Chloe looked at her, a mix of surprise and interest lingering in her eyes. For a minute, Beca thought Chloe would ask her what she meant.

But that moment never happened. Rhian and Theo found them.

Beca may or may not have originally thought that it would be best for them not to know where they were.

The interruption couldn't be helped. Theo needed Beca for something urgent that came up, and it was back to work for a while.

Theo, Gus, Rob, and Rhian – who didn't look too pleased with Beca at the moment – ended up joining Chloe and herself for dinner at her father's place. Her dad was thankfully a gracious host, initiating most of the conversations that night with Beca's people, Sheila, her step-mother, and Chloe.

Beca didn't feel like having dessert so she excused herself for some fresh air, she needed a moment to clear her thoughts. At that point, her father was in a deep conversation with Chloe, catching up with her and asking about what the rest of their friends were up to. Sheila, on the other hand, was incredibly curious about the work that Theo and the rest did.

She was disappointed that her day with Chloe got hijacked, again, but perhaps it was for the best. She could still feel her heart beating rapidly out of her chest, ready to explode. Her earlier conversation with Chloe took a turn for what Beca was hoping for, but when the moment came, so did her nerves. A part of her wanted to get it over with, and get things out in the open. But it also proved to be easier said than done. Just looking at Chloe felt like it charged the air around them with electricity, everything coming to a standstill. The mere passing moment turning into what felt like eternity, and Beca could feel herself holding her breath. As if she was walking on a tightrope, and either she makes it to the other side or she falls completely. The feeling had caught her off guard.

They'd be crossing the Rubicon, after all. No turning back the moment they lay their feelings bar.e

"Whatever you're thinking, Beca, I hope you've actually thought everything through," she then heard Rhian say, as she joined her at the porch.

"Huh?"

"Chloe," Rhian said. "If you decide to step out in the light with her, pursue a relationship... I hope you know it's not going to be easy. The industry can pretend to be 'woke' for as much as it wants, but it doesn't change the fact that the execs at the top are the same assholes you'd want to punch in the face because of the opinions they have for the way you feel for the girl."

"I…" Beca started to say, both confused and impressed that Rhian figured it out.

"Beca, even the blind can see what you feel for her. You're usually guarded around people, you only ever relax around people you trust and even then, sometimes you're hard to read. You wear your heart on your sleeves around Chloe. Besides, you do remember that it's literally part of my job to read people," Rhian then said. "And also my job to ask you if you're sure. Because I know you, you won't even consider a PR relationship for bearding purposes."

"I don't want to hide who I am, or the person I love," Beca replied before looking back at Rhian surprised.

There it was.

The word slipped. So easily too.

Rhian seemed to ignore her reaction though, and went straight to the point. "Yeah, but consider things, please. You'd be risking a lot, and you'd put Chloe under the spotlight too. Under the scrutiny of the public. Most of your fans are great, but some would undoubtedly have opinions."

Beca wanted to argue against it, but then her dad called them back for some tea or coffee before they leave. Beca agreed, she was feeling a mix assortment of things with what Rhian had said, that she was afraid she might end up actually arguing with her. The two of them usually got along well, Rhian was a master of her craft after all, and she knew how to play the game Beca wanted to play to avoid all the politics and the usual BS that came with the business.

But what Rhian said got under her skin.

She knew she was just being upfront with Beca, but it still troubled her.

Chloe ended up staying the night with her at her suite after dinner. It was Beca's last night in Atlanta. She was going straight to England for some collaborations in the afternoon of the next day. Chloe tried to reopen their earlier conversation, but by then Beca was distracted.

She wanted Chloe back in her life so much, she forgot to consider what could happen next. What if, by some miracle, Chloe felt the same way for her, and they decide to give it a go? What then? She hadn't even thought about how much her life now could affect Chloe's, how the demands of her work, of her label, could impact any budding romance with her.

Chloe sensed that something was bugging her but when Beca didn't want to talk about it, she decided to stir the conversation to something different. To music, and to the things that Beca always loved to talk about.

They ended up listening to some of her old mixes together – Chloe's all-time favorites – until they fell asleep. But Beca couldn't really relax much, tossing and turning most of the night.

At one point, her frustrations got the best of her, and Beca sat up on the bed, her knees pulled up to her chest, head in her hands. She didn't want Chloe to get hurt, or to put under a microscope. She didn't want to hide Chloe away like some dirty little secret either. That wasn't who Beca was, and not something she would ever consider doing.

But Beca wasn't kidding when she said she needed Chloe. She was the only thing Beca wanted. The only one she wanted to be with.

She felt torn.

Beca glanced to her side, watching Chloe sleep, her back turned to Beca. She hated that she'd have to leave when the morning comes and that so much uncertainty lay ahead of them after all the time it took for her to get to this moment. To realize what she felt for her. To hope that maybe, just maybe, there was a chance that they could be together the way Beca wanted.

She took a deep breath to calm herself. For the moment, she still had Chloe next to her. This wasn't the end. Beca would have time to sort things out in her head, and when she's sure of what to do next, she would take the plunge. She would tell Chloe how she felt.

Beca slid back down and instantly pulled Chloe closer to her, burying her face in her back. Chloe stirred a little, surprised by Beca's sudden movement, and turned around to hold Beca in her arms. Beca rested her head on Chloe's chest while Chloe nuzzled sleepily down on the crown of Beca's hair. The sound of Chloe's heartbeat was enough to calm her down.

She had a lot of thinking to do.

But for now, Beca just wanted to hold onto Chloe for as long as she can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that took a turn to angst-town. I swear, for the most part, this fic should be lighthearted? Even I'm confused how we got here. I started writing with the Barden pool scene in mind and then half an hour later we're here. The songs in the chapter were also unplanned, to be honest. Anyways, there will always be humor, I promise.
> 
> Not gonna lie, I was almost planning to just copy paste the lyrics to "Never Gonna Give You Up" for this chapter (because of the title) and then throw in a link to a 1-hour loop of the video to Rickroll y'all after the author's note.
> 
> Wouldn't that be funny if I did? XD
> 
> The actual songs in the chapter are Permanent (by Kygo ft. JHart), Blueberry Eyes (by Max ft. Suga of BTS), and Talk (by Khalid).
> 
> The link below is the updated playlist. No, Rick Astley is not part of the playlist, and the link most definitely does not lead you to the 1-hour loop, I promise! Scientist's honor!
> 
> www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbWZQ6nwYXxFjX9z3vft3leEz7dN9K_5
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed that chapter. Next one's gonna feature DSM (and the Halloween Bash). I'm not yet sure if I want to include their performance or just talk about it via the Bellas. We shall see…


	12. Aca-Thriller

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Halloween Bash has arrived! The special round two of the face-off between DSM and the Bellas are also underway. Jessica and Ashley are feeling a little nervous with their performance given all the obstacles the Bellas had to deal with for their practice. Cynthia Rose knows they all have their work cut out for them too, with DSM's enthralling aca-thriller of a performance making things more difficult.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Happy Heart's day! To celebrate, here's chapter 12, featuring DSM's haunting performance because this chapter is set during Halloween.
> 
> The next chapter might be up in a few hours as well. We'll see.

Time flies fast when you're having fun. That's what they said. Sometimes, it just plain sneaks up on you.

The months between the preliminary round riff-offs and the Halloween Bash went by too fast that Jessica felt absolutely nervous. They were in the Atlanta Event Center, the crowd filled with acapella fans and enthusiasts with deep enough pockets to afford the ridiculous price for the event tickets. Vocal-sity, Rhythmashers, and the Voicenotes were all there, embracing a group theme costume as the gang from Scooby-doo, the Addams Family, and the Ghostbusters, respectively.

DSM came dressed in fantastic costumes and make-up, all of them different monsters and ghouls. Notable members such as the Kommissar and Pieter were dressed as werewolves, while guy-liner Adonis came as a zombie. To Jessica, the creepy twins came as themselves, although Lilly said they claimed they were dressed as vampires.

The Filharmonic were also there as guests, dressed as undead versions of themselves. Members of Pentatonix were also present, each a different character from "The Nightmare before Christmas."

The Bellas seemed to have the same idea as DSM, all dressed in their own costumes. Lilly was dressed as the devil, which freaked Flo, who was a mummy, a little bit. She was still wary of Lilly after all this years, after being released from her possession. Aubrey was a witch. Cynthia Rose a vampire. Stacie came as an angel, although Jessica doubted that any angels wore dresses that had hems way above the knees. Chloe came dressed as a fairy, and Jessica had to hand it to her, she probably was one of the best dressed in the party. Judging from the attention she's been getting, she was definitely giving Stacie a run for her money. Amy rivaled Adonis man's zombie costume, while Jessica and Ashley came as a pair of ghosts. Emily embraced her inner werewolf, although she looked more like a tall and adorable puppy when compared to the intimidating versions of the same costume from Luisa and Pieter.

Beca wasn't there yet. Aubrey said that their famous friend had a prior event to attend in DC. Some kind of Halloween-inspired benefit gala for a children's hospital, one she had committed to months before the invitation to the competition came. The plan was for her to leave the gala early and fly in on her private plane to join the Bellas in time. Both the Bellas and DSM were told of their estimated time to be on stand-by for the performance, with the event organizers asking both the Filharmonic and Pentatonix to perform in-between the two groups. As the Bellas ended up dazzling the crowd more than DSM did during the prelims, and they delivered an excellent performance with their transitions and harmonies – apparently they were being graded – they had the privilege of going last.

There was a small stage set at one corner of the hall, a table set in the middle. To Jessica's surprise, John and Gail, the two hosts of that one acapella podcast that kept following the Bellas around, were invited to host the mini-competition for the event. To one side of the room was the DJ, dropping some sick beats for the guests to enjoy. Was he as good as Beca? He could only wish. But he was doing a good enough job. To the other side of the room, at the corner of the stage, was a table for the judges that was currently empty.

Jessica took a deep breath, checking the time on her phone. Chloe was getting antsy herself, with Beca still nowhere to be found. In a few minutes, DSM will start their performance. Looking around, all of them looked a little nervous. They've done all they could to practice the simple choreography Stacie helped work on so they can put a clean performance. They haven't had a real chance to practice it all together, working on bit and pieces individually or practicing via video chat. They tried to go over the performance a few times the night before. The Bellas gathered at Aubrey and Stacie's apartment, having only arrived that morning, and did a few run-throughs once they all got settled. But the living room space didn't really compare to their rehearsal space back at Barden. For one thing, it was rather cramped. They focused on the timing and the basics instead of delivering a full-blown performance.

John and Gail soon started to gain the crowd's attention, DSM occupying the dancefloor as most guests circled around the space, the judges taking their places in their designated seats.

Jessica took a sip of her drink to calm her nerves. The Bellas had been in worse situations before, winging a bit of their upcoming performance is something she believed they can handle.

Still, the intimidating presence of the German acapella team troubled her.

DSM was out for blood.

* * *

The spotlights all focused on DSM, as they took their position on the dancefloor, bodies contorting in incredibly uncomfortable figures to embody the very theme of Hollow's eve. Cynthia Rose couldn't help but feel the anticipation in the air, the excitement coming from the crowd as they awaited to be dazzled. The look on the Kommissar's face said it all.

They were here to play for keeps.

Luisa kicked things off, a dominant figure in the middle of the dancefloor, crawling towards the crowd, DSM disjointedly shook their figures to the melody and beats some of their members made to follow the Kommissar's lead.

_Monster, how should I feel?  
Creatures lie here, looking through the windows_

A girl in a gothic Lolita outfit takes over the lead, Cynthia Rose never paid much attention to her before but apparently she could sing really well. The creepy twins joined her with back-up vocals as DSM provide a very Cirque du Soleil performance.

_That boy is a monster (Mo-mo-mo-monster)  
That boy is a monster (Mo-mo-mo-monster)_

_I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed_

The beats start to pick up and DSM transition to a more upbeat rhythm. Their choreography started to incorporate some marching element as they move about in their places in perfect synchrony. The Kommissar briefly took charge after.

_Very superstitious  
Writing's on the wall_

Then Pieter and Adonis jumped in to steal the show. Pieter took the lead with his well mastered theatricality. Adonis led the back-up vocals while DSM maintained the beats of Rihanna's "Disturbia."

_No more gas in the rig (bum bum be-dum)  
Can't even get it started (bum bum be-dum dum)  
Nothing heard, nothing said (bum bum be-dum)  
Can't even speak about it (bum bum be-dum dum)  
Out my life, out my head (bum bum be-dum)  
Don't want to think about it (bum bum be-dum dum)  
Feels like I'm going insane (bum bum be-dum)  
Yeah (bum bum be-dum dum)_

Luisa once again took over while Pieter easily slinks back to provide some adlibs of a Duran Duran song. Cynthia Rose couldn't help but wonder if the two songs they were singing had anything to do with their costumes. The rest of DSM maintained the beats of "Disturbia" in the background as they kept to their marching steps.

_There's a she-wolf in the closet (bum bum be-dum)  
Open up and set her free (bum bum be-dum dum)  
There's a she-wolf/Mouth is alive, all running inside (bum bum be dum)  
And I'm hungry like the wolf (bum bum be dum dum)_

DSM mixed the melody of the new songs with Rihanna's song in the background. The gothic Lolita girl jumped in once again to steal the show after that. Cynthia Rose was starting to get the impression that she was the Kommissar's apprentice of sort.

_I'm one of a kind, got everybody in love (bum bum be-dum)  
And I don't have to try, I just do what I does (bum bum be-dum dum)  
Don't have to tell me, I already know (bum bum be-dum)  
They all want me (bum bum be-dum dum)_

Half of DSM still maintained the beats of "Disturbia" while the other half slowly joined gothic Lolita girl with the chorus. DSM's performance have been pretty good so far. Not a movement misplaced in their choreography. Their synchronicity was almost mesmerizing, if Cynthia Rose allowed herself to admit it. Every transition was well placed too, mixing each song with the next smoothly.

_I'm a monster, I'm a m-monster  
I'm a monster, I'm a m-monster  
I'm a monster, I'm a m-monster  
I'm a monster, I'm a m-monster  
I'm a monster, I'm a m-monster  
I'm a monster, I'm a m-monster  
I'm a monster, I'm a m-monster  
I'm a monster, I'm a m-monster_

Traces of Rihanna's song completely disappeared as DSM did another transition. Luisa once again took the lead, pulling zombie Adonis along with her as her dance partner, incorporating a bit of tango move sets as she sung. Pieter stepped up ahead of the rest of the team, sticking behind the two to lead the efforts for back-up vocals.

_Oh, he'll buy me a thorn before he'll buy me a rose  
Be covered in dirt before I'm covered in gold  
He's trying it on, yeah, he's ticking me off  
Say what you want but I won't ever be told  
'Cause I'm in love with a monster_

The creepy twins then stepped up with a rather cold delivery of "The Monster Mash" mixed with the chorus of "In Love with a Monster" delivered by Luisa and Pieter. Adonis jumped in with the deep delivery of some of the lines from the popular old song in the middle of the chorus.

_I'm in love (I'm in love)  
I'm in love (I'm in love)  
I'm in love with a monster (The monster mash)_

_(I did the mash)  
He did the monster mash (The monster mash)  
It was a grave yard smash_

_I'm in love (I'm in love)  
I'm in love (I'm in love)  
I'm in love with a monster  
I'm in love with a monster_

DSM then dropped some epic transition between the songs they did, picking up the beats once more. Gothic Lolita girl jumped in with a brief ad lib as the rest of DSM spaced out, one member grabbing what looked like the iconic red jacket worn by Michael Jackson in his music video for "Thriller" and tossed it towards Luisa.

_But when I kissed a cop down on Thirty-Fourth and Vine  
He broke my little bottle of Love Potion Number Nine_

Luisa sleekly dons the jacket and took charge with their rendition of the required song in the medley. DSM delivered a lively performance, complete with the well-known choreography of the song. Pieter and gothic Lolita girl provided back-up.

_'Cause this is thriller (Thriller)  
Thriller night (Thriller night)  
And no one's gonna save you  
From the beast about to strike_

The crowd was loving it, some even started to sway to the song thanks to DSM's infectious performance.

_You know it's thriller (Thriller)  
Thriller night (Thriller night)  
You're fighting for your life  
Inside a killer (ki-ller), thriller (thri-ller) tonight (tonight), yeah_

Pieter howled like a wolf as the song ended, even dropping on the ground acting like one, and using the biggest spotlight on them as his reference for the full moon. The crowd grew wild, screaming and cheering them on. They delivered a hell of a performance.

Cynthia Rose took a deep breath. The Bellas certainly had their work cut out for them.

Here's to hoping they deliver.

* * *

John and Gail took over with their hosting duties after DSM's performance. As per usual, their comments weren't exactly encouraging to the Bellas, but whatever. That's fine. They've dealt with it before and they're kind of already used to it.

What wasn't exactly a great feeling was the nervous energy that started to occupy the Bellas. They both had the same amount of time to prepare, but DSM had the advantage on this one. They toured together, performed together. That was their literal jobs. Maybe they even lived together? They gave such a flawless performance that Ashley was a little worried their humble set and simplified choreography wouldn't be able to compare.

John and Gail went on about how there would be a fifteen minute break before the Filharmonic and Pentatonix dazzle the crowd with a performance of their own. Ashley took a deep breath. The Bellas still had time to calm down, forget the showmanship that DSM just demonstrated and focus on their own set.

She looked around. The rest of the Bellas seemed to be thinking the same thing. Emily took charge of the pep-talk. Eventually, Aubrey took over, reminding the girls that they beat DSM once. They could have also beaten them in the riff-offs had there been another lightning round. They practically dominated the performance then, and they had about the same preparation time then.

But this was different. With the riff-offs, anything can happen. A team didn't need fancy and practiced move sets, they just need to be in sync with each other's harmonies and on top of their singing game and discography knowledge. The medley face-off challenged required a level of crisp, clean, flawlessness to every aspect of their performance. Just like the one DSM pulled off.

One that may not be possible given the Bellas had a disjointed kind of preparation for this challenge thanks to geography keeping them apart and their day jobs.

The odds would really need to be in the Bellas favor to make it through this one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The DSM performance is based on the Halloween Acapella Mash-Up/Medley (by Rosendale) which includes Monster (by Meg & Dia), Monster (by Lady Gaga), The Monster (by Eminem ft. Rihanna), Superstition (by Stevie Wonder), Disturbia (by Rihanna), She Wolf (by Shakira), Hungry Like the Wolf (by Duran Duran), Problem – The Monster Remix (by Becky G ft. will. ), In Love with a Monster (by Fifth Harmony), The Monster Mash (by Bobby Pickett), Demons (by Imagine Dragons), Ghost (by Halsey), Love Potion No. 9 (by The Searchers), Thriller (by Michael Jackson), and Ghostbusters.
> 
> In my head, the performance would have a bit of a different arrangement in places, make it more haunting but also energetic towards the end with Thriller. Like they would burst out a high energy performance (the energy kinda' dips a little towards the end of the medley, and Thriller sounds tired) and then took out the Ghostbuster's part because I don't see DSM busting that out towards the end. I also took out Demons and Ghost because of it (that's when it starts to slow down). What happens is Love Potion No. 9 directly follows the Monster Mash and still used as a transition to Thriller. It allows for the song the judges wanted to be included to be the main event instead of the song falling into the background (DSM's Thriller rendition is more like Jared Halley's in the MJ acapella, see the playlist). I kept the wolf howl at the end though :D


	13. Rise and Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beca's got a lot on her mind - her career, the competition, and one Chloe Beale. But Beca's not afforded any time to think, with her commitments and the Halloween Bash face-off against DSM clashing with each other, Beca's one goal was to make it to Atlanta before the Bellas were up.
> 
> An interlude courtesy of The Filharmonic and Pentatonix buys the Bellas the time they need to regroup and prepare. The Bellas were all on edge after the thrilling performance from their arch-rivals. Beca's absence wasn't helping calm things down, especially for Chloe who can't help but wonder if her former co-captain will make it on time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Life's hard when you're famous…
> 
> Anyways, we check in with Beca on this one (the start of her POV occurs before the performance in the previous chapter).
> 
> And a short bit with Chloe.

_I always said that I was gonna make it  
Now it's plain for everyone to see  
But this game I'm in don't take no prisoners  
Just casualties_

Beca huffed as she turned around and walked away from the last set of people she had to talk to. Thankfully Theo was there helping her work the hall for the gala. Her manager and friend wanted to keep in theme with Beca's chosen costume, dressing up as a popular character from Final Fantasy. He had to wear a wig to get the hair right for Vincent Valentine, and he's been complaining how itchy it was, but he soldiered on.

As for Beca? She was dressed as a Tonberry. Green body paint, spooky lantern, carboard knife, and everything – except the hair, she refused to wear some weird green cap and look bald. She's really gotten into playing video games to de-stress during her down times the last couple of years. Final Fantasy, a favorite among the titles she owned. Sure, she was annoyed dealing with them, but she figured it was the best character from the game to represent her.

_I know that everything is gonna change  
Even the friends I knew before me go  
But this dream is the life I've been searching for_

Beca looked up at the stage and smiled. She was up there earlier that evening, performing a short set for the gala. Craig David, who she had collaborated with recently, and Sting were on stage, performing an old song they had together.

Coincidentally, Beca also had a good talk with the two earlier. It may be a party, but Beca was there for business. The plan was to meet old contacts and make new ones. Theo helped introduce her to some of the new ones and navigated tricky conversations. Rhian was somewhere in the crowd, talking to other agents, networking on her behalf as well as planning details on how to drum up interest for her recently finished collaborations that were just waiting to be released. She also decided to join Theo and Beca's theme for their costume, dressed up as Rikku in an outfit that made Beca wonder if she was at all cold.

But Beca really didn't have much time to think about it, she already had a lot weighing on her mind, certain decisions to make. All of this on top of her share of duties with the Bellas and their progress through the special competition they were participating in.

The one thing that took most of her cranial space, however, were thoughts revolving one Chloe Beale, the way she made Beca feel, and what to do next.

She's had many discussions with Rhian the past few months after their Atlanta trip. There were so many things she had, admittedly, failed to consider or even think about it. Beca threw herself at work to quiet down some of the thoughts that troubled her the most, but she had to admit that Rhian had a point.

"I really hope you'd end up being the exception, Beca. Your talent deserves that," she remembered Rhian saying, followed by all the other things that told Beca what it was that Rhian was indirectly asking her.

A simple question, one that, in the end, might force her to choose between two options.

To the realization of her dreams, the one she's chased her whole life, or the love of her life.

It was a stupid question that, if Beca lived in a perfect world, she wouldn't have to answer. To be honest, Beca didn't really care much about the fame. She just wanted to make music, do the thing she loves the most, and make a big enough name for herself to secure herself financially so she can keep doing said thing she loves.

After the USO tour, Beca had to make a few adjustments. Her previous job had allowed for her to know a bit of the game behind the industry a little better than if she would have made an abrupt change to her life, but working as an artist along with being a music producer opened her eyes to the insane intricacies of the industry. All the controlled details, manipulated scenes and stories that affected the lives of artists. Stuff she absolutely hated, and thankfully managed to avoid for the most part thanks to having a good team of people who respected her talents. Theo would also remind her to thank her talent from time to time, whenever she would reflect on it.

She could handle it. Beca knew she could. Whatever fallout happens, she could take it. The real question was, if for some reason she does get her wish to be with her, would Chloe?

The paparazzi were handled for the most part. Times have changed a bit, and artists were chased after less than before. For the most part, they're the ones calling the paparazzi - staging pap walks when needed for publicity's sake - creating a more symbiotic relationship with the usually pesky photographers. Sure, there were still some who would hide and chase a celebrity down, try and sell their photos to the celebs before the magazines first, but thankfully Beca has never had to deal with one of those types in the last five years.

The fans? That would be tricky. It wasn't impossible to keep private life, well, private. Beca's done well with that so far. But that's mostly because her love life was mystery to most. She doesn't want to come to a point though were she can't hold Chloe's hands while walking down the streets should people spot them. Social media was battlefield – comments, hot takes, opinions, forums, and all. There's the good and the bad, with people not really realizing how much their words could be used as weapons. There was a reason why Beca had let Rhian take charge. Beca had to adapt quickly, grow a thick skin, and thankfully she found good people by her side to help her. But could Chloe truly handle it? The endless intrusion, the trolls, and the highly opinionated hypocrites?

The execs in the industry? A number of them truly belonged to the dark side of this world. Beca already knew what Rhian said was true; a good chunk of them were controlling conservative jackasses who only cared about profits and had really good publicists. She's been able to handle herself well, but her label right now might drop her, or let her rot on a shelf of unreleased albums and singles if they start worrying about her "image." They might even refuse to work with her, blacklist her from others until she fades into obscurity, not wanting to lose out on potential profits they could make if they weren't too concerned about the trivial matters of her private life and how it could affect their business. They were her main concern. She still had one album in contract with them that she's been finalizing, and talks of signing a new contract have been opened, but Beca's been delaying the decision, wanting to explore her options. She loved her job, that she got to make music the way she always dreamed of, but she hated the rules and stipulations behind them all. She wanted a bit more freedom. Then of course there was the politics behind it all, something Beca absolutely detested but learned to handle.

Rhian had a point. There was a reason why some of the really popular, award-winning artists had long lists of ex-lovers and rumors about their relationship status. Most of which were untrue. Scripted. Pre-planned beards and covers for the truth they lived behind closed doors.

Beca doesn't want that. Chloe doesn't deserve that.

But she was getting ahead of herself.

Beca's been keeping a checklist in her head for now, working twice as hard to lay the ground work for her plans and find the balance in her life that she craves. She had to be prepared. She knew what it was she wanted the most.

Hopefully her anxiety from the uncertainty of all that she's scheming about doesn't get her before she pulls it off.

_Sometimes in life you feel the fight is over (over)  
And it seems as though the writing's on the wall (yeah)  
Superstar, you finally made it  
But once your picture becomes tainted  
It's what they call  
The rise and fall_

"We ought to go now," Beca heard Rhian said as she found Beca and Theo. The flight to Atlanta from DC was about an hour and half. Beca planned to leave early and account for the usual flow of traffic to and from the private runways. That way, she could reach the event hall in Atlanta before DSM even starts their performance.

But life just loved making thing complicated, time running down to the wire.

It was Gus who alerted them that an accident had happened on the road they were on. The car had barely been moving, and Beca was getting more and more impatient. By the time they reached her plane, Beca already knew she was going to be late.

Yet another one of the things that caused her to worry about the things she was planning for the future.

The unforeseen incidents, things beyond her own control that could keep them apart. That on top of commitments, tours, things that could require Beca to constantly be away from Chloe, especially when she needed her the most.

And there's nothing in this world that Beca hated the most other than disappointing Chloe Beale.

* * *

Chloe was getting antsy. Beca wasn't answering her phone, and she wasn't anywhere to be seen. The clock was ticking down, with Pentatonix finishing their performance inspired by "The Nightmare before Christmas."

_This thing will never make a present  
It's been dead for much too long  
Try something fresher, something pleasant  
All together, that and this  
With all our tricks we're making Christmas time_

The Filharmonic jumped in and took over with their medley of songs, the transition perfectly seamless. Each passing minute, each transition and belted note reminding Chloe of the passing time. Unlike Pentatonix, the Filharmonic's selection of songs had nothing much to do with anything related to Halloween, starting with One Direction's "Drag Me Down" and Shawn Mendes' "Stitches." Instead, they let their rendition of the songs add the spook-factor, with Jules' solo of "Bad Blood" being a cherry on top with his richly deep tones.

_Oh, it's so sad to think about the good times  
You and I_

But Chloe couldn't really get into the performance. No matter how good the transition was from "Bad Blood" to "I Can't Feel My Face" by The Weekend.

Once the two acapella groups finish, they have fifteen minutes. That's all. Fifteen minutes until show time, with or without Beca.

Chloe didn't know how to feel about it either. Since her visit to Atlanta, Beca got even busier. Sure, she made time for the group video calls, but she's had less of a time to respond to Chloe's own personal calls – something she promised to herself to do more often and re-establish after her talk with Beca at the pool – with Beca sticking with messaging instead. But even that was rare. She'd typically have to wait more than twenty four hours between messages to hear back from Beca about how her morning was, or if she was at least sleeping as she should and taking a break.

Now, she wasn't even here.

The Filharmonic were wrapping up their performance, shifting away from "Omen" by Sam Smith and Disclosure to do a final medley mash-up of all the songs they used, in time for Pentatonix to blend harmonies with them and take over with one another song.

The Bellas appreciated the extra few minutes that bought them as they were started to draw up battle plans in case Beca failed to make it in time, Aubrey assigning Emily to take over Beca's solo just in case.

_I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones  
Enough to make my systems blow  
Welcome to the new age, to the new age  
Welcome to the new age, to the new age_

_Whoa-oh, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive  
Whoa-oh, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive_

Chloe took a deep breath and once again scanned the hall. Still no sign of Beca or any of her people. The only person she found looking at the Bellas, and Chloe herself, was a smug looking Kommissar. The DSM leader raised an eyebrow, as if silently asking Chloe where Beca was, if they were up for the challenge, only frustrating Chloe even more.

Time was ticking.

_Where are you, Beca?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So do we think Beca makes it?
> 
> To be clear, Beca's on her plane during Chloe's POV, that's why she's not answering calls.
> 
> The title of the chapter is based on a song by Craig David. It's also the lyrics of the song featured in Beca's POV.
> 
> The Bellas performance is coming up next. The Pentatonix (Making Christmas from The Nightmare Before Christmas and Radioactive by Imagine Dragons rendition ft. Lindsey Sterling) and the Filharmonic (Monster Mash-Up) performances are in the playlist. I only threw in snippets of the songs included in that they performed because I wanted to focus on Chloe's thoughts. All the numbers from this chapter and the previous one have been added to the playlist. Check them out at the link below
> 
> www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbWZQ6nwYXxFjX9z3vft3leEz7dN9K_5
> 
> For people curious about what a Tonberry is, they're (cute and) SMOL but deadly characters from Final Fantasy games. I like to call 'em Stabby Boi because they typically instant kill your party members with one stab (they move slow though… so they first need to reach them first). They also have other troublesome (counter)-attacks… they are the bane of FF players for sure. Here is a link to their wiki page, if y'all are interested. You can google the rest of the characters if interested, I only wanted to focus on Beca's :P
> 
> www.Finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Tonberry


	14. Horror Show

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Halloween Bash is fully underway. It's the Bellas turn to dazzle the crowd, will they outperform their acapella nemesis or will they crumble under the pressure?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys here's chapter 14! Short update, and I might not be able to upload another one tonight, but I think I can update everyday this week except for Saturday, so there's that to look forward to.
> 
> Comments, reviews, and reactions are always welcome.
> 
> We've got Lilly and Flo here :)

The Bellas took on the dancefloor with as much poise and confidence they could muster. Aubrey tried to negotiate for some more time, but the judges turned them down. They expected punctuality, and no amount of superstar status could sway them. Chloe looked disappointed, and to be honest a little bit angry, but she sucked it up and gave the Bellas the pep talk they needed to get out there. Beca's absence and the lack of an actual training and practice session shouldn't stop them at all. They were still the Bellas after all.

The crowd looked to be just excited to watch them as they did with DSM. Lilly took the lead with the simple beats, allowing Chloe, Aubrey, Stacie, and Flo to start of their first song, each singing a line of their own.

_All around me are familiar faces  
Worn out places, worn out faces  
Bright and early for the daily races  
Going nowhere, going nowhere_

The Bellas stuck to standing in the middle of the dance floor, starting of simple with their attempt of a haunting but solemn rendition of the song. Jessica and Ashley jumped in to provide the melodies as the rest of the Bellas joined the chorus.

_And I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad  
The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had  
I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take  
When people run in circles it's a very, very  
Mad world, mad world_

That's when Lilly started livening things up. Jessica and Ashley maintain the melody while she switched over to lay the ground work for the next song. Flo and Cynthia Rose start the song, with Stacie and Aubrey providing additional vocals, and Amy throwing in the adlibs.

_Boys and girls of every age  
Wouldn't you like to see something strange?  
Come with us and you will see  
This, our town of Halloween_

Lilly was thankful that Pentatonix didn't choose to sing the same song from "The Nightmare before Chirstmas" during their performance. She wasn't sure if the Bellas would have met the same kind of performance. They had simple choreography thrown into the mix, but nothing as show-stopping as DSM's with their set from earlier.

_This is Halloween, this is Halloween  
Pumpkins scream in the dead of night  
This is Halloween, everybody make a scene  
Trick or treat 'til the neighbors gonna die of fright  
It's our town, everybody (scream)_

Lilly smirks a little as Amy actually shrieks while the Bellas' voice fade into a whisper towards the end of the last line. It was Chloe, however, who got the final words of the song.

_In this town of Halloween_

The Bellas then quickly spaced themselves out on the dancefloor, providing the transition, ending "This is Halloween" to move onto the next song. If Beca had made it in time, she was supposed to start "Ghost Town" by the Specials. The Bellas talked about having Emily cover for Beca and potentially take over her solo, but the Legacy had no chance to practice this, and missed her cue. Lilly glanced over to Aubrey, who quickly signed directions to the Bellas. This led to an abrupt transition into their last song for their set.

Flo jumped in to take the lead for the first line.

_Thriller, thriller night_

The Bellas quickly scrambled to figure out where they needed to be. Having skipped Beca's solo, some of them were far from where they needed to be. Amy tried to make up for it, injecting as much energy to her performance as she could with her solo.

_It's close to midnight  
Something evil's lurkin' in the dark  
Under the moonlight  
You see a sight that almost stops your heart  
You try to scream  
But terror takes the sound before you make it  
You start to freeze  
As horror looks you right between the eyes  
You're paralyzed_

But the damage was done. Lilly could tell from the confused reaction among the crowd. Her memory of some of the things that happened during her possession were a little bit hazy, but somehow, the performance they managed to scrape up together with all the last minute changes reminded her of some of the Bellas' earlier performances.

_'Cause this is thriller  
Thriller night  
And no one's gonna save you  
From the beast about to strike_

It's not that they were bad, they were just disjointed. They were all sorts of out of sync with each other as they danced throughout the rest of "Thriller."

_You know it's thriller  
Thriller night  
You're fighting for your life  
Inside a killer, thriller tonight, yeah_

The mixed reception of their performance after they finished was the definitive proof of it.

It was short, not as spectacular but wasn't bad either, just lukewarm.

But by then, it was clear who won the round.

* * *

Flo had her chin resting on her hand as she nursed her drink at the bar, surrounded by the rest of the Bellas. How Stacie found the only dive bar not packed with people on Halloween is beyond her. The Bellas left the Halloween Bash earlier and soon headed towards the place for a drink after their disappointing loss. They didn't exactly want to be in the same room where DSM celebrated their win, especially after they found out that the surprise bonus prize for their second round face-off was a bonus prize cash of 2 million dollars.

They've been there for maybe about an hour already. Stacie and Aubrey had just left to head home early and check in on Bella and their babysitter. Chloe was sitting on a stool next to her, brows practically stitched together. She already snapped at Amy who was trying to provide explanations and defenses in behalf of Beca who wasn't answering her phone. So far, only Lilly seemed to be able to have a conversation with the former Bellas captain while she considered her options for the night. Flo guessed she probably wanted to see if Beca was still going to show up or not, maybe give her a piece of her mind. The Bellas had taken bets on it earlier.

Cynthia Rose, on the other hand, was on her phone as well, texting her wife with updates. She came to support the Bellas with Benji but went on ahead back to their hotel when the Bellas left the Event Center. Benji and Emily were talking in one of the booths, the former Treble doing his best to cheer up his girlfriend with some simple magic tricks. Jessica and Ashley went to check the music selection of the old jukebox by the corner of the bar. Amy was nervously eyeing the bar door, also constantly texting someone. She guessed it was Beca but it may as well have just been Bumper who didn't come on the trip with her. She was worried he'd get Aubrey all riled up and go on full Aca-Nazi mode.

Flo sighed. Their lukewarm performance was a sad way to lose out on the perks they very nearly won. Flo couldn't help but wonder how things would have gone if they managed to deal with DSM back in the prelims. It would have still been disappointing to give an unpolished set during the Halloween Bash but it would have sucked less than losing to their archrivals.

Flo finished up her drink, considering whether she should get back to her hotel room herself and ask if any of the other girls would like to head on back with her – they were all staying at the same hotel. Cynthia Rose at the very least looked like she was about ready to go. She ultimately decided to stick around for a few more minutes.

"There you are!" she heard Beca exclaim as she marched into the dive bar. Flo wasn't sure if she meant the group or Chloe, but she looked frantic, apologetic even. Right behind her were her team, all scuttling towards one side of the joint, trying to minimize their presence.

Beca looked absolutely fantastic in her costume. Flo didn't have the faintest idea of what she was, but she looked good nonetheless, every detail professionally done. But none of the girls threw any compliments her way. They still felt disappointed about the outcome of their one-versus-one with DSM, not to mention they could feel Chloe's displeasure about the entire thing bubbling underneath the surface. Amy put away her phone as Beca made made her way inside. The Bellas all started exchanging looks before stealing glances from Chloe, who looked unyielding.

Flo waved her hand towards the bartender, signaling for another drink.

She could tell, the evening was far from over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there goes the perks…
> 
> We'll have some conversations in the next chapter. The Bella's Halloween Mash-up were based on The Spell's Halloween Medley sans the Harry Potter theme intro. Songs included are Mad World (by Michael Andrews), This is Halloween (from The Nightmare Before Christmas), and of course, Thriller (by Michael Jackson). Check it out at the link below:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbWZQ6nwYXxFjX9z3vft3leEz7dN9K_5
> 
> For the sake of imagining what Beca's song would have been, I added Ghost Town (by The Specials) in the playlist. The lyrics below would have been what Beca sang before the Bellas made the transition into the last song of the medley (just to let you guys have an idea on how it could have gone). The song (and music video) kinda gives off some 2020 vibes, if you know what I mean.
> 
> This town (town) is coming like a ghost town  
> All the clubs have been closed down  
> This place (town) is coming like a ghost town  
> Bands won't play no more  
> Too much fighting on the dance floor
> 
> Do you remember the good old days before the ghost town?  
> We danced and sang, and the music played in a de boomtown


	15. Something More than Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloe's upset about Beca's absence. The Bellas are disappointed about the loss against DSM but understand why Beca was late. Amy can't help but wonder what's going on with Beca lately. Beca asks Emily for a favor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did promise conversations…
> 
> Anyways, here is chapter 15 ft. a little bit of different perspectives.
> 
> If you're worried about Bechloe, the next chapter will mention what happens the day after Halloween, but not really delve into it. You'll understand what I mean later on and why.
> 
> Enjoy.

Amy and the rest of the Bellas all slinked back together at a corner of the bar. Things got a little bit crazy out of hand right off the top of Beca's arrival.

Beca looked apologetic, and got of straight to the point on why she came late. From the sound of it, she pretty much didn't have any control on the matters that kept her away from the Bellas from the first place. She explained how she found out about the results and left immediately to find the Bellas. Thankfully, Amy had sent her a dozen or so messages – and sent some to Theo as well, since she had his number – and she managed to track down the Bellas.

While it sucked they lost out on the perks against DSM, and while it also sucked that Beca wasn't even there to help them out, Amy and the other girls did understand. They appreciate the fact that Beca still came to find them and apologize in person.

Well, except Chloe.

Their former captain looked hurt, betrayed even, that Beca left them hanging and that parts of their performance was affected by her absence. She was also mad that she wasn't even answering her phone.

To which, Beca explained, she didn't have it on her. Little known fact, no events that had many famous names in attendance actually allowed their phones to be turned on. In Beca's case, it was with Gus. It was all to keep things private. Any photos taken and released needed to be agreed upon beforehand, part of publicity for the different people involved in it to keep their name in the media and stay relevant. No unwanted attention is therefore released without the knowledge of the celebs. Attendees also needed to sign non-disclosure agreements, stuff that Amy had learned over the last five years attending some of the same parties. Things that the Bellas didn't exactly realize since the party they were invited to during the USO tour didn't ask for one.

Chloe didn't look like she was buying it either, if her response was anything to go by. Beca's reason felt more like a justification for her. "I guess you have more important things on your mind," she ended her rather lengthy retort that had Beca wincing at every rebuttal Chloe made. Chloe barely made any attempts to hide how hurt she was. Amy could understand. Beca used to do everything in her power to be there whenever the Bellas - most especially Chloe - needed her. This time around was different. This time she failed. She wasn't just distracted, with her mind elsewhere, and back then that was enough for Chloe to get upset. This time around, Beca wasn't even physically there.

"I do, but… it's... Chloe it's not like the way you're putting it!" Beca replied. She sounded rather desperate and frustrated. Beca was never really the articulate one, especially when it came to Chloe. Amy felt bad for Beca, the two rarely fought, but you can bet that one of them always ends up dramatically storming off. If it's Chloe, it's because she knew that deep down, she hated seeing Beca look like she was being torn apart. As if she wasn't even allowed to feel mad at her when she was because then she'll see Beca all emotional, and Chloe ends up feeling mad at herself. If it's Beca, it's usually because she's about to run out of words to make Chloe understand, frustrating her even more. It usually ends with her serenading Chloe in some way with songs that could better explain how she felt.

In this round of their rare fights, Chloe was the first to leave. Amy missed what it was that Chloe said, having been distracted by Emily getting all teary-eyed and whimpering in the corner, as well as by Flo who just ordered another drink. Jessica and Ashley were quick on Chloe's tail, wanting to make sure she would make it home safely. Beca looked too shocked and torn to react. Even Amy was having a hard time figuring out what was running through that head of hers.

Something was different this time. Beca was never one to be stunned silent. At the very least, she would groan and yell out her frustrations. But she didn't. She looked despondent, but not mad or annoyed with Chloe's reaction. Amy couldn't help but wonder what it was that changed.

Because this time around Beca looked like she had just been stabbed in the heart.

And all Amy could do was rush to her best friend and give her a hug. Make sure she doesn't fall apart.

* * *

Aubrey made tea in Chloe's kitchen as she listened to her best friend rant on and on about Beca. She made them both a cup, although Aubrey knew that the tea was mostly for her to keep calm, having been unceremoniously summoned from the rest of her nighttime activities by a call from Jessica – or was it Ashley? She couldn't remember it anymore – updating her of what happened, giving her a heads up that Chloe would most definitely need her best friend tonight. It was times like this that made her wonder what in the last ten years changed at all. For minute or two she found herself back in Barden, in the dorms with Chloe, flashes of her visits at the Bellas also thrown in there somewhere.

Chloe rarely ever complained about Beca. Whenever she did it was either Beca was with Jesse too much, and Aubrey had to remind her that it was to be expected considering the Treble was playing the part of the boyfriend, or that Beca was disappearing into the aether, and even Aubrey was clueless then about how to help her because neither of them knew about Beca's internship. There were a few smaller instances, scattered between the years, usually something minor, and like clockwork Aubrey would be summoned to Chloe's side and she would be comforting her friend.

This time though, Aubrey was fighting all the urges to snap at Chloe. As much as she loves her and understand where all the anger and frustrations are coming from, Aubrey couldn't help but think that Chloe's anger had something more to do with Beca than actually losing against DSM, and her inability to just tell Beca the truth complicating the matter. Since Barden, whenever Beca and Chloe got into a fight, a part of the reason always ends up being Chloe's inability to deal with the unspoken feelings she had with Beca, and how she sometimes expected the tiny DJ to magically read her mind and cater to her needs when she needed her the most. Her own jealousy coloring her expectations of the reality of a given situation, her emotions slipping under the pretense of two people who were just friends having a misunderstanding.

Maybe that's why she was a little bit irritated herself, not at Chloe per se but with the whole thing. Granted, Aubrey was already partially upset about losing against DSM. Beca's absence had a hand in their disastrous performance, but she also knew and understood that the odds were stacked against the Bellas in the first place. Although Aubrey definitely still planned on giving Beca a piece of her mind. A lengthy lecture of upping her game and keeping her promises, and perhaps a not-so-friendly reminder of not breaking Chloe's heart if it's needed. Still, Aubrey had grown wiser over the years. She knew that while they had enough time, the Bellas didn't have the perfect set-up to execute any plans they made. They were all caught up with their own lives, separated by time zones and states, making things all the more difficult. The old Aubrey might have thrown a fit, but Aubrey's gone through so much in her life already to know better.

That's why she was kind of hoping Chloe would too. But apparently nothing changed when it came to Beca.

Maybe it was the DSM of it all aggravating Chloe's anger. The group and their smug valkyrie of a leader always seemed to get under her skin. But Aubrey understood that there was a lot going on underneath it too, more than just the Bellas losing against their archrivals on a small event of a big competition.

"The past is a hard thing to let go," Aubrey said once Chloe finally ran out of words to say. She handed her former co-captain her cup of tea and took a seat next to her on the couch.

"What do you mean, Bree?" Chloe asked, confused.

"You're holding Beca to your old standards of her," Aubrey replied, matter-of-factly. "Look, I'm sure if Mitchell developed the powers of teleportation or flight she would have been there earlier, and she would be here by your side whenever you need her. But –"

"But what, Bree?" Chloe threw back.

Aubrey sighed. "Chloe, I just… I can't help but feel that there's something else going on underneath all this, you know? The past can't come back because the moment's gone. We can't expect for things to suddenly go back to how they were then. We've all changed and grown up in our own ways. We need to try to make do of things that we have now and make the most of it."

Chloe huffed. "So I should just accept that the moment's gone then? That I can't make up for the missed chances? That I'm just a little bit of a fool hoping that I finally have… That I maybe can…"

"It still could happen, Chloe," Aubrey interrupted, reaching out to pull her best friend for a hug to calm her down. "Listen," Aubrey went on to say before letting her go, "a lot is riding on this competition. More than just glory, the prize money in the finals can help a lot of the Bellas, especially with all that happened the past two years or so. I don't think Beca's that out of touch to not care about us succeeding. I personally think she cares. We lost one battle, but not the war. We can still win this thing. The Bellas will find a way to make that happen."

Chloe nodded. "There's another 'but' in there somewhere, I can feel it."

"But it has nothing to do with why you're mad at Beca right now, and you know it," Aubrey once again stated as a fact. "She's doing her best on the Bellas front, Chlo, and I think we both know that the reason why you're mad at her is more personal. That it's more about how she made you feel at the moment when she didn't show up in time."

"And?" Chloe then said, prompting Aubrey to go on.

"And I think it's about time you did something about it," Aubrey noted. "I mean, I did something about mine," she went on to say with a smile, thinking about Stacie and Bella. "Life is never perfect, Chlo, and who knows what other obstacles end up standing in your way. Forget about everything making you afraid for now. You might not get another chance to own up to your feelings if you let this one pass you by without doing anything about it."

"And what if it breaks my heart in the end?" Chloe asked, trying her best not to cry. "Bree, I don't even know if I could still fit in her life. Sure, Beca says I can, but... but it's just different now. I-I feel like I'm losing her, like I've already lost her in some way. We live completely different lives. My life's here, with you, Stacie, and Bella just around the corner. With my normal, boring, regular person's job that I love, not whatever goes on behind all the glitz and glamour of Beca's life. Besides, I'll always be second fiddle to whatever Beca has going."

"Do you really think that, Chlo?"

"I don't know what to think, Bree." Chloe sighed and leaned on the backrest of her couch. "Sometimes I just feel like Beca's right within my reach, but then I discover that we actually couldn't be further apart. She's a bright shining star in the night, and I'm stuck here on the ground."

"You do know that she only shines for you, right?" Aubrey replied. Chloe turned to look at her with a confused expression.

"Jesse said something like that before," Chloe replied.

Aubrey sighed. Sometimes Chloe can be just as dense as the hobbit she loved so much. Her best guess is that maybe Chloe's just trying to protect herself from getting hurt, because of anyone she's ever been with or ever loved, it's Beca who had the power of hurting her the most. "For what it's worth, Chlo, I don't think you'll only ever be second fiddle to Beca," was her response. "The past years of barely any contact, that's all misunderstandings, miscommunications, and stupid reasons for not doing so. That much I'm willing to bet on," she went on to say, thinking back on how Beca started acting at the end of the tour after walking in on Chloe kissing Chicago. She was willing to bet that the young DJ was jealous, whether or not she realized that was the question. "But I do think she cares a lot about you, Chlo. She said it herself. She could forget about all of us, but she can never forget about you. I believe in that."

"I wish I can believe in that too," Chloe sullenly replied. "I want to, but I just... It hurts Bree, in a way I don't even know how to explain. Her absence, especially when she's supposedly within my reach, when I know that she's supposed to be physically there... it hurts all the more than it ever did before."

Chloe slid down towards Aubrey to rest her head on her shoulders. Aubrey put an arm around her best friend as they sat there for a while in silence. Aubrey didn't know what the future had in store for them, but the one thing she does know is that no matter what happens, Beca and Chloe seem to always keep finding a way back to each other.

All of this, it's just the world preparing them for what's in store for them. For now, they're figuring out the things they want, and who they are, trying to find the best version of themselves to be what each other needed.

Things will all fall into place in due time.

* * *

Stacie was feeling a little bit of lonely since Aubrey got out of bed and rushed on over to Chloe's side.

Somethings really don't change.

She's made herself a cup of tea, in the meantime, waiting for Aubrey's return. Thankfully, she didn't need to wait by herself for long. She got a call from Amy letting her know she was planning to drop by just as soon as she got settled on the couch, mindlessly flipping through TV channels to find something that could at least entertain her for a bit.

"You know you didn't need to call, right?" she asked Amy when she arrived. Stacie invited her in and the two settled on the couch.

"I wanted to make sure I knew what I was walking into," was Amy's reply before she filled Stacie in on what happened after she and Aubrey left. She went on to tell what was undoubtedly a dramatic version of Chloe and Beca's argument, how the Bellas were doing, and how Beca was holding up.

"She went back to her hotel with Legacy and Flo," she went onto say. "Jessica and Ashley ran after Chloe when she left, so I guess they're also back at the hotel. Cynthia Rose decided to share a cab with Benji back to the hotel. Treble boy wasn't really keen on joining the girl talk with Beca, and CR's missing the missus."

"I would have thought you joined Beca too," Stacie replied.

"And miss out on the juicy details behind everything, no way," Amy then said.

Stacie laughed. "Yeah, but I doubt Bree would be sharing anything from her talk with Chloe. I know Beca's dense, but I would have thought you'd at least get more details from her. You know, be there for her too?"

"Shawshank's a bundle of nerves and anxiety at the moment, a literal ball of stress if you ask me," Amy replied thoughtfully. "I tried talking to her before she left the bar, but it looks like her mind was elsewhere at the moment. Like she's playing mental chess or something. When she left, she did invite the rest of us still at the bar to join her, but I figured I could get more info from Theo and Gus, get a better understanding of the situation."

"No Rhian then?" Stacie commented. She still wasn't sure if she liked her or not, but she figured that she wasn't exactly the sharing type.

"Nope," Amy replied, shaking her head. "She and Beca were whispering something between themselves before she left. Rhian stuck around with Gus for a while, talking business before they left, so I got some one-on-one time getting tea from the big T."

"And?" Stacie asked, curious as to why Amy looked like she was about to bust out her conspiracy board.

"Well, from what I hear, shorty's been under a lot of pressure of sorts. T-man wouldn't spill much, but looks like Beca's been making some big behind-the-scenes moves. Some moves a bit more on the literal side of things. I don't have much info or proof, but he may have let slip something about looking for real estate, both for business and private residence," Amy explained, wiggling her eyebrows to make a point.

"You don't think…" Stacie started to say, a thought having occurred to her. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

A smile slowly crept on Amy's lips. "If you're thinking that I'm thinking about what you're thinking, then you're probably correct. Unless you're thinking about something else, then no."

Stacie chuckled. If they were right, things may finally start happening.

And maybe, just maybe, Stacie could finally see her friends find the happiness they deserve with each other.

* * *

Beca's suite was rather impressive in its size and décor. It also had what Emily would argue to be the best view of Atlanta. She and Flo joined Beca after leaving after the bar. Beca was never really okay whenever she was in a fight with Chloe, she would always be itching to figure out a way to make things right. But this time, well, the look on Beca's face said it all. She looked afraid, heartbroken even, upon hearing some of the things that Chloe said.

It wasn't hard to guess where all that emotion came from. But for Chloe to say that Beca didn't care about the Bellas, about her, after all that has happened between them? The accusations that Beca was just biding her time because she was bored, that she couldn't even prioritize or respect her commitments to the Bellas? It hurt even Emily to hear it. They've come a long way from their time at Barden, after all, and Beca's all but proven that she does care. By a lot. She wouldn't even accept the opportunity handed to her during the USO tour at the beginning because it meant she was leaving the Bellas behind.

The three of them talked for an hour or so. Beca asked how the rest of the night have been for the Bellas, still spewing out apologies every now and then. Flo handled the recap of the night. Emily shared her sentiments about how they've all spread out and grown, and how that's made it so much harder for them to work together and compete against groups who were all physically close to each other. A bunch of professionals who perform together as their job. She was feeling down about how much the Bellas had stretched out bonds they formed with each other, so to speak, and it just didn't feel like the Bellas of old.

Beca felt the same way, but argued that just because they were apart, doesn't mean they can't still be the Bellas. "We'll find a way, Ems," she even said. "I don't know about the others, but I don't want to leave each other to the past and be nothing but memories just because we've grown. I know I'm one to preach, especially with how I'm probably the first to struggle with keeping touch, but I want to believe that just because we grew up doesn't mean we've grown apart."

"Yeah, this is just a test of times for all of us," Flo had agreed. "The Bellas are a family, after all. Sometimes we need to go on our separate journeys, but that's all so when we come back together again, we're stronger than ever."

Emily smiled at that sentiment. Soon their conversations shifted onto more trivial matters, like what they're gonna do for the next couple of months, and what the challenge for the finals was going to be like. Flo, having drank quite a few, soon found herself sleeping on the couch of the suite's living area, leaving Emily some alone time to just hang out with Beca. Something she realized she hadn't had much of during their preparations for the contest.

Emily asked mostly simple questions about what Beca's been up to the past few months. She's been incredibly busy that even when she does join the video calls, she either be splitting her attention between documents she needed to finish or sign, Theo would interrupt her for a quick word, or Rhian had to get her approval for something. Beca, in turn, asked Emily how she's doing with her master's degrees and what her plans for the future was.

Emily looked a little uncertain and Beca gave her an understanding smile. "To be honest, I'm just kinda' feeling excited, anxious, scared, happy, nervous, overwhelmed. All of it. I mean, how do you even function as an adult? Everything just happens so fast. Responsibilities start piling up, free time lessens… you want to go hang out with friends but some days you're just too tired of it."

Beca chuckled. "I don't know what to tell you, Ems. I'm kinda just feeling a little bit of all too."

"Yeah, but I mean, surely you've got most things figured out?" Emily replied.

Beca gave her a sad smile and looked away, "Not everything," she said with a heavy heart. "There's this one thing…"

Emily looked expectant at Beca, wondering what that "one thing" was all about. A part of her was wishing it was Chloe. But Beca never gave her a clear reply. Instead she turned to Emily, a sparkle in her eyes, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

The gears of Beca's mind were turning. She had an idea.

"Say, Ems, how's the songwriting going?" Beca asked.

"Um, not really going," Emily answered truthfully. "I just haven't had the time lately, and, I don't know." Emily shrugged. She wanted to go back to it, but as the years went by, she just never did.

"Wanna get back into it?"

"I do, but I just…" Emily started to say but she never got to finish her thought before Beca interrupted her.

"I'm not asking about the far away future, Ems," Beca noted with a chuckle. "I meant now. I'm wrapping up the last album I'm on contract with for my current label, and I'm still missing one song. I wrote one myself, but I think I decided to pass that along to some other talent. It's good, but not what I really wanted."

"W-wait," Emily mumbled as she tried to process what it was that Beca was saying. "You want me to write a song with you for your album?"

Beca nodded. "We'll have to get it done soon though, so I might have you flown into LA a few times. It's gotta be special, Ems, and you're the only one I can think of who can help me with this one. It's for someone important."

"Aren't all of them?" Emily asked before she could even think things through. She was most definitely not planning to have said that out loud.

Beca's face turned a deep shade of red, surprised by the comment. "What?"

"What?" Emily repeated in Beca's stead. She didn't mean to assume or even make the comment in the first place.

Beca blinked rapidly once, then twice, before shrugging it off. "Come on, Ems? What do you say?"

Emily felt nervous. She was rusty. She hasn't written in ages.

But she nevertheless agreed to it.

She had a feeling that Beca had special intentions for this particular song, and it would be an honor to help her give it life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gee, wonder what the title of that song is going to be? I ask because some lines from the chorus of the real song I'm planning to use as the one Emily and Beca writes are scattered in this chapter, there are some red herrings too :P This chapter's kinda like the inception of the song, I suppose you can say.
> 
> I'm excited for the next chapter (although things aren't going to get any easier by then)! And 17 too! And 18! And, oh, gosh, 19 too! But most importantly, I'm excited for 20!
> 
> Bear with me folks. Your patience shall be rewarded soon enough.
> 
> Also, remember when I said the chapters would be like 27 now? Yeah, no, that was also a lie. I had to adjust things to make them easier to handle with writing so now it's gonna be 30 chapters. I wanted to give some of the chapters a little room to breathe (some of them need it for sure), so… Guess you can say that's just how much I love Bechloe.


	16. Disjointed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the Finals for the 75th anniversary of the Worlds, the Bellas eagerly start their preparations to win the competition, learning from their mistakes and making the necessary sacrifice to achieve their goal. But everything's easier said than done. With five years apart, the Bellas have grown, priorities have changed, and personal feelings that were kept buried deep within have wormed their way out of the surface.
> 
> Can the Bellas find a way to fit together again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here is chapter 16! We get a few time jumps here Lilly, Flo, and CR.
> 
> This turned out longer than I planned… hope you guys enjoy!
> 
> Reviews, comments, reactions are always welcomed. I do appreciate the feedback :)

Lilly was back in DC, having lunch at her favorite café in the middle of a busy workday. It's been two weeks since the Halloween Bash, and almost two weeks since they got a letter about what was required of them for the finals.

The event organizers worked fast whenever they wanted to. But Lilly figured, it's because there was a good reason to give the finalists the time they would need to prepare for the last round.

The finals of the 75th anniversary of the Worlds would be held in New York, at the Maddison Square Garden, in the beginning of spring. Coincidentally, it was set about a week after Amy's wedding anniversary and when they first heard of the competition. Since DSM won the perks from their aca-thrilling face-off, they also got the chance to decide how the performances would be arranged. As a power move, and in attempt to possibly intimidate the Bellas with their own performance, DSM chose to go fourth, with the Bellas going last. It worked well for them last time, during the Halloween Bash, after all.

As for the final event? It would be the ultimate test of their skills and endurance as performers. The event organizers randomly assigned each team an artist. All of them had an extensive discography of up-beat tunes. The task? To perform an acapella mega-mash-up of their songs, with a minimum time limit of seven minutes for the performance.

A seven minute long riff-off was doable, considering the teams take turns. That much was easy to manage. But a seven minute-long high-octane performance where they would be singing and dancing? That required each of the Bellas to be in perfect shape.

As a matter of fact, Aubrey had already emailed them a list of their daily exercise routines to train and condition their body while they were each on their own.

The Bellas also wasted no time in drawing up a battle plan, already planning on using up National Holidays as a way to synchronize vacation times and long weekend plans so they could meet up and practice. Beca, who was dedicatedly trying to make it up to the Bellas after missing out on the Halloween Bash, already had an amazing set-list drawn up. It took her all of three days to prepare it since they received the email. From what the Bellas heard on their group chat, Emily said that Beca had practically no sleep those past three days, and ended up knocked out from exhaustion the entirety of the next just to get it perfect. The reason? The Bellas wanted to make use of all the time they can get to meet up and prepare. Which meant that the first training session would be over Thanksgiving. It also meant that the Bellas needed that playlist so that Chloe, Stacie, and Aubrey could come up with a choreography ready to teach by then.

As for the place for practice, Beca said she had that covered. The first being somewhere in Atlanta.

Lilly was deep at thought about the Bellas path to victory when she heard her phone chime. Amy was at it again trying to get Stacie to spill about what she knew about the former co-captains' meetings.

Yes, it was in their group chat. No, it wasn't the Bellas group chat exactly. It was their second Bechloe group chat. The first one had Aubrey in it. But sometimes Aubrey would use that group chat to lecture them about meddling in the past, and not wanting to give the impression that they were ignoring her words while wanting to avoid the thirty or so messages she would send at a time whenever they had mischief on their mind, the Bellas just decided to make a second one.

_Stacie ;) [12:15 PM]: Why are you asking me? Ask Legacy._

_Legacy [12:18 PM]: Why me?_

_Amy [12:20 PM]: You're still sus, Legacy. You never explained why you were in LA when Beca was making the set list._

_Amy [12:21 PM]: Also, Stace, you're kinda shacking up with one of the former fearless leaders, so you know... Don't you even discuss this as pillow talk?_

_Lilly [12:22 PM]: I thought we all agreed Legacy helped with the set list?_

_Stacie ;) [12:22 PM]: We have more interesting things to talk about, Ames_

_Stacie ;) [12:23 PM]: Besides, Legacy, who answers "sure" to a Y/N question. I'm still bothered by that._

_CR [12:25 PM]: I think the more important question here is why Amy is asking_

_Amy [12:30 PM]: Because I'm in LA and Shawshank is all sad and gloomy._

_Stacie ;) [12:31 PM]: FINE. Let me ask Bree how the calls are going. She might think we're up to something if I try and fish for info though_

_Jessica? [12:33 PM]: Or Legacy can just spill_

_Ashley? [12:33 PM]: Emily, don't hold back on us now. You better not leave us on "read" either._

_Legacy [12:37 PM]: Ugh. Fine. C's being all distant during the calls, and B's got a lot going with work. Idk what. She doesn't talk about it. But it bugs C a lot. Sometimes C can't help but comment about it, making B :(_

_Amy [12:39 PM]: I THOUGHT YOU SAID THEY WERE FINE, STACE_

_Stacie ;) [12:43 PM]: I said that Beca came by with bagels for breakfast before she left after our spooky day fiasco. We all had breakfast, it was awkward, but Chloe did apologize for going too far. Beca repeatedly apologized for being late. They seemed fine, but off._

_Stacie ;) [12:44 PM]: I did not say they were all lovey-dovey._

_Amy [12:45 PM]: SO MOMMY AND DADDY ARE STILL FIGHTING?!_

_Flo [12:47 PM]: Who's mommy and who's daddy again? It's been a while…_

_CR [12:47 PM]: Calm down, Ames. Pro'lly still just patching things up. Some things take time._

_Jessica? [12:49 PM]: Yeah, and the distance surely isn't helping_

_Ashley? [12:50 PM]: Does that mean we'll try operation Bechloe number 269?_

_Lilly [12:51 PM]: I guess we can try during Thanksgiving_

_Amy [12:53 PM]: Alright, pitches. Video call 6 PM PST/7PM MST/8 PM CST/9 PM EST_

Lilly chuckled. She tucked away her phone in her bag as she finished up her lunch. It looks like the Bellas were fully back to their usual antics.

* * *

The Bellas all got to Atlanta either the day or night of Thanksgiving, choosing to sacrifice their usual holiday plans with family and local friends to be with each other and get started for their preparations for finals. They had dinner at Stacie and Aubrey's apartment. Only Amy, Emily, and Beca were missing. Beca let them know ahead of time that she and Emily would be arriving around midnight, the Legacy helping her out on something. Aubrey chalked it up to Beca's work commitments. The Legacy part of it was still a head scratcher, but Flo thought that Beca probably needed help to tweak the set-list a little.

All was well that night.

But nothing lasts forever, as they say.

Initial practice wasn't too bad, they got a few bits done. Sure, they had to get up at the break of dawn to get started, but Cynthia Rose figured that was just another one of the sacrifices they needed to make. They all wanted to win. But that was on the Bellas' progress side of things.

Cynthia Rose has no idea how Beca managed it, but their famous friend successfully pulled some strings at Barden to let them use their old rehearsal space. To Cynthia Rose's surprise, Beca was also the first one there. Rob was outside the auditorium when she arrived with Jessica, Ashley, and Flo. The four of them sharing a cab together. As soon as they entered the familiar place, they could hear Beca playing on the old piano that they all rarely touched, talking to Emily about being unsure of the final arrangements of a particular song. Emily reassured Beca that everything was fine, that it was perfect even. Cynthia Rose had wanted to ask what it was about, if it was related to the set-list that Beca whipped up for the Bellas, but she got distracted by Gus before she could even ask. Beca's assistant was with her, providing their usual coffee orders along with a selection of muffins, donuts, and bagels for breakfast that both Jessica and Ashley quickly helped themselves to.

They settled down with their usual chatter, Flo updating Beca and Emily of what they missed the night before. Amy soon arrived, sharing her ride with Lilly. A few minutes later Stacie and Aubrey entered the rehearsal space by themselves, which was odd. Cynthia Rose expected Chloe to walk in with them, the three of them talking about heading to Barden all together the night before.

What was even more curious was that Stacie walked in with a tight-lipped smile, immediately seeking out Amy. Aubrey, for that matter, looked a bit uncertain about something. Keeping herself isolated from the group as soon as she accepted her cup of coffee from Gus.

Cynthia Rose found their silence unsettling, but the rest of the Bellas seemed to have ignored it for the most part. There was a look of displeasure on Amy's face after Stacie whispered whatever it was in her ears. Cynthia Rose curiosity only grew. She was planning to head over where they were and ask them what it was all about when Beca voiced out the obvious question hanging in the air. "Where's Chlo?"

Right on cue, Chloe entered the rehearsal space, talking with someone.

And that someone just had to be Chicago.

"Seriously, you didn't need to drop us off," Chloe replied, holding a blue scarf in her hands that she doesn't seem to know what to do with.

"I know, but I was kinda hoping to catch up with you a bit longer. We got cut short last Wednesday, and with you leaving behind your scarf and all, I figured it was a perfect opportunity. I didn't know you were busy," he replied. "Don't worry, I can wait. Maybe we can grab coffee later?"

Chloe sighed and was about to respond, but Beca "accidentally" slammed down on the keys, producing an unpleasantly loud sound on the piano. She had an unreadable expression on her face.

"Guess green really isn't a good color on Beca," Ashley, who was standing next to Cynthia Rose, said in a low enough voice for only her and Jessica to hear.

Both Chicago and Chloe turned to find Beca who started muttering her apologies. Chicago simply smiled back and greeted her, asking Beca how she's been doing since the last time he saw her in the tour. To his defense, Chicago was simply trying to be pleasant. He did watch over the Bellas as their security detail back then.

But Cynthia Rose believed that he truly needed to go. Last she heard from the Bellas, Beca and Chloe were still all sorts of being weird around each other during the video calls. He was throwing a wrench in the Bellas plan to address that.

Sadly, Chicago meant what he said about catching up with Chloe after and decided to stick around to watch the Bellas first rehearsals. This, in turn, translated to Beca's moods doing a one eighty from how she was doing before seeing Chloe with her ex. As Beca's ill mood continuously darkened, Cynthia Rose caught a glimpse of Gus manically texting on his phone. Halfway through learning the first set of choreography, which Stacie took a lead on teaching, both Theo and Rhian arrived. They sat far back in the auditorium. Chicago noticed them, waving at Theo who gave Chicago a wry smile to acknowledge his presence. Beca's manager soon found himself in a deep conversation with Rhian. The two would sneak glances off Chicago once in a while, making Cynthia Rose wonder if they were talking about him.

"You need to pay more attention, Beca," Aubrey said with a heavy sigh after Beca kept messing up the sequence.

"Guess I'm just tired," Beca mumbled as an excuse. She huffed and started to march over to where Rhian and Theo were, "Maybe we should just call it a day, yeah? Everyone else seems to have plans for the rest of the day anyways." There was an edge to her tone, and Beca barely even looked back as she left.

With that, their first rehearsals for the finals unceremoniously ended.

The Bellas had the rehearsal space for all of Saturday as well, they all head back home Sunday. Like last time, Beca was the first in the rehearsal space. She was still a little distracted and upset, chewing on the lip of the lid of her coffee cup, staring off into the distance as Rhian kept trying to tell Beca she needed to pull it together. Meanwhile, Theo and Gus were having a conversation on their own. Once again, Cynthia Rose, Jessica, Ashley, and Flo got there together. Emily arrived with Amy and Lilly this time. Minutes later Stacie arrived, updating the rest of the Bellas that Chloe was just helping Aubrey with her parking because she could never get it straight.

"Okay, Stace, seriously, what was that yesterday?" Cynthia Rose asked in hushed tones, as she, Stacie, Jessica, Ashley, and Amy gathered in one corner of the auditorium.

Stacie tried her hardest not to groan. She didn't have the chance to properly update the Bellas yesterday because Chloe decided to leave with Chicago for some coffee, which meant that Stacie needed to stop Aubrey from eviscerating the guy who invited himself along and evidently ruined the group dynamics yesterday.

"They ran into each other day before Thanksgiving," Stacie finally explained. "Bree asked Chloe for a favor to run and get a few things she was missing for our dinner. Chicago was apparently visiting his sister in the city for Thanksgiving and running the same errand. They grabbed dinner afterwards, nothing fancy. Chloe said it was at some burger joint to catch up a little. Anyways, Chlo left her scarf, I guess she removed it while eating? Chicago used returning it to spend some more time with Chloe."

"Does he want to get back together with Chloe?" Jessica immediately asked.

"Why, does he want to die?" Ashley more than said than asked. "He's not ruining things for a second time by inserting himself in the picture."

"I don't know," Stacie all but grumbled. "They broke up amicably, so Chlo's all pleasant with him. It doesn't seem like she wants to get back together with him though. She got back to her apartment alone before Aubrey and I even did, so that coffee they grabbed and whatever conversation came with it had to have been incredibly short."

"Any sign of him today?" Cynthia Rose asked and Stacie shook her head.

"Does it matter? Innocent intentions or not, looks like the damage is done," Amy replied with clenched teeth, nodding over Beca's direction, and no truer words were said.

There was an awkward tension in the air when Aubrey and Chloe finally arrived. Beca was less distracted than the day before, but she clearly wasn't feeling it. Chloe looked uncertain about how to approach Beca with their famous former co-captain being all grumpy. Eventually, Chloe settled with being annoyed at her for barely even acknowledging her presence – Beca really can't handle jealousy well – and the Bellas ended up being the ones distracted to make any decent progress.

They learned the steps, sort of. But they were still not in sync with each other.

They still had a long way to go.

* * *

Flo wanted to scream, but she doubted that she would be heard at all.

After a less than stellar initial practice back in November, the Bellas were right back at it again with their mini boot camp. Christmas was spent with their respective families. The plan was to arrive at Beca's LA pad the day after Christmas. The living arrangements were the same as their previous visit, except this time Chloe insisted that she would just bunk in with Aubrey, Stacie, and Bella, who the two of them brought along for this trip. There was still some kind of unresolved tension between the two. Beca clearly still stuck on the thought about Chicago and acting all weird with Chloe, and Chloe was coming in both hot and cold, unsure if she should be mad at Beca for being weird about things when she shouldn't be – but of course Beca would be upset about the whole Chicago incident, the reason was painfully obvious except to her and Chloe as it would seem – or be apologetic and try to make up. For the most part, Chloe was just confused if they were still fighting. Based on what Emily and Amy said, Beca was just as confused, but her jealousy just kept getting the best of her every time it seemed like they were making any progress.

Most of day one was just settling in and going over their schedule. To give enough space for the Bellas to practice, Beca rented a studio in the city for them to practice at. That seemed simple enough.

But then day two happened and the Bellas were still all sort of disjointed in practice. It didn't help that Bumper kept trying to interrupt to "cheer Amy on" and get on Aubrey's nerves.

Day three happened. Still chaos. Cynthia Rose's wife didn't make the trip to spend time with her relatives, so she's been constantly on her phone missing her wife, checking in on her whenever. Emily seemed anxious herself with a few things, but so far she was keeping it together. Aubrey was about ready bite Bumper's head off. Bumper invited some of the Trebles for the holidays to supposedly keep him busy while Amy was with the Bellas, but Donald was one of them and he kept egging Bumper on to drop in on the Bellas so he could see Lilly. Jessica and Ashley were mostly just both physically tired and tired of getting everyone to focus. Aubrey was starting to stress out real bad, and no one wanted a repeat of the "Aca-Nazi." Flo still didn't know how bad it got back then, the Bellas looked all afraid to open up about what happened their first year prior to her joining.

Beca, for the most part, tried to clear her schedule as much as possible to focus on the Bellas. She had a few commitments she couldn't reschedule, meetings that were unavoidable, and projects she needed to finish to meet her deadlines, which meant that whenever they went back to Beca's pad, she would go off disappearing to her home studio. Chloe couldn't help herself slip up and make a comment about it whenever something related to Beca's work interrupted their practice for a few minutes. In return, Beca was extra irritated every time Chloe's phone would buzz with a new message. Family and some other friends, Chloe would explain whenever Beca makes a side comment about being distracted by some lover.

Day four, and no dice. The Bellas were all over the place. Amy and Aubrey were arguing because of Bumper, and because of Amy's lack of focus or discipline for that matter. Although, to Amy's credit, she was in better shape than Jessica and Ashley who were struggling with the high intensity set they needed to perform. Theo dropped by earlier to get Beca to sign some documents, followed by Rhian who needed Beca's approval for something, which prompted Chloe's off mood again. Chloe was ever popular with people as always, checking her phone every now and then, which meant that Beca was being a jealous idiot. The two haven't exactly been bickering, they've just been making passive-aggressive comments at each other about their own sources of interruptions. Stacie was the one mostly distracted that day because Bella has been missing both her and Aubrey. She was also a bit on edge, barely having any alone time with Aubrey.

Hence why Flo felt like screaming. It felt like no real progress was being made at all.

Then Bumper arrived again with Donald and the other Trebles. Flo wasn't even sure what prompted it, but everyone just started arguing with Bumper and the Trebles at first, and then with each other after they successfully threw them out the studio.

Emily was ultimately the one who got their attention. "THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!"

Everyone froze and turned to look at Emily, who suddenly looked a little less than confident. "She's right, you know," Flo then said. "We're all clearly feeling the pressure. I'm sure the contest means a lot to each of us for one reason or another, other than performing together again. But we're not exactly one at the moment."

"Y-Yeah," Emily piped up. "Look, we can try to practice but we've been wasting each day, and I don't even want to know how much Beca's spending to get this space all reserved for us when things aren't really working out right now."

"Well, what do you propose to do then, Legacy?" Stacie asked.

Beca went over to where her things were and grabbed her phone. She shot a quick message before addressing the Bellas. "How about we give practice a break today?" she asked them with a calm tone.

"Mitchell, we're leaving the day after New Year's day. We have very little time left," Aubrey pointed out.

"I know, Posen, but Ems is right, something's wrong," Beca replied. "With all of us," she went on to say, stealing a glance from Chloe. "And I think I have an idea on what can help us."

The Bellas all looked around the room, confused, but they were all calming down. Emily was right. Beca was right. They haven't exactly been connecting properly, so many things affecting their preparations for the finals.

They weren't the Bellas of old anymore.

Everything felt so easy at the start, when they were excited to just be back together again. When the most they had to do was anticipate each others moves and wing it. But now that being reunited as the Bellas required much more of their time that they can give, now that it had affected the lives they've built the past five years, it's gotten much more difficult to just find their sound together.

More than that, they still needed to find who they've become and figure out how that could fit in with each other to form the new and improved Bellas.

"So what do you say, you nerds? I've got a plan, are you willing to join me?" Beca then asked with a light smile.

The Bellas each nodded. Flo smiled when it was Chloe who ultimately voiced out their response. "We're with you, Beca."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh, the realization of Beca's idea was supposed to be in this chapter, but it was getting too long, so it's going to kick things off in the next chapter!
> 
> Also, this is the one and only time you would have to see the annoying complication from the third movie make an appearance. I swear. Honestly, I would have preferred seeing him get with Amy in pp3, have some comedic flirtations here and there that doesn't seem to go anywhere, and then BAM, they get together.
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed the group chat though :D
> 
> Hang tight friends! They're gonna talk soon, I promise!


	17. Ain't Walking Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Bellas put a pause to their preparations for the finals and have a heart to heart talk, sharing experiences they've had the past five years apart, learning how much they've changed, and how they could still find a way to fit with each other as a family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, here's chapter 17 ft. an epic mash-up, the Bellas heart-to-heart, and the Bellas really wanting Beca and Chloe to have a different kind of heart-to-heart.
> 
> Bear with me, folks. Things get REAL for a moment, and while I do talk about some tough stuff, I allude more to them than actually directly say things. So this is kinda like a TW about the dark sides of fame and COVID struggles.

Amy was right before. The only ones who can stop the Bellas are the Bellas themselves.

In this case, their lack of chemistry. The way they couldn't fit with each other properly. As if the Bellas themselves were a giant puzzle and each one of them a distinct piece of it. In the past, they could just fall into each other and perfectly connect, but perhaps that was the perks of living the same house, and then city. It was clearly harder now that they've all branched out.

Because even when things go back to their usual pace, even when nothing seems to have changed, the time they've spent apart made them all grow up a little. They've been talking about what they missed from each other's lives as if they're reading news updates, but they've never had the chance to actually properly talk about how they were all doing.

The Bellas still understood each other when performing, but that's pretty much where it stops. They stopped looking beneath the surface of being Bellas again and what they needed to do, instead of figuring out what that meant.

They needed to genuinely reconnect.

The ride home was spent in silence. Each of the Bellas locked up in their own thoughts. Beca had Rob pick them up in the van that she got for them to use to travel around. As soon as they arrived, Beca led them all through her living room and out to her pool side. She split the Bellas into two groups. Chloe had Aubrey, Jessica, Ashley, and Stacie. Beca had Flo, Lilly, Amy, Cynthia Rose, and Emily.

"Whatcha' planning here, Shawshank?" Amy asked, beating Beca to it.

Beca simply smiled back. "We're constantly being swept up by things we need to get done, we haven't had the proper chance to actually bond again. No offense, Amy, but the night before you're wedding, we were mostly just having fun and letting loose a little. Your wedding wasn't exactly a Bellas only affair either. After that, every chance we got to meet, it was all polite chit-chat, simple updates, and then we're off marching off to the beat of the drums instead of dancing to our own music." Beca shrugged after that, and pretty much everyone agreed.

Since getting the band back together, their main focus was the competition, and not just the Bellas being a family.

"Chlo, you know what to do," Beca then said, encouraging her to start with a song of her liking.

Chloe nodded, message received. She looked thoughtful for a minute before she started singing the opening lines of the song she had selected. Jessica and Ashley was quick to back her up, before Aubrey and Stacie eventually jumped in.

_Who's gonna walk you  
Through the dark side of the morning?_

Beca jumped in, singing the lines of a different song in the background. She raised her left hand, signaling to Lilly, Cynthia Rose, Emily, Flo, and Emily to wait before jumping in to back her up.

_Who's gonna rock you  
When the sun won't let you sleep?  
(I don't understand why you're so)  
Who's waking up to drive you home  
(Cold to me with)  
When you're drunk and all alone?  
(every breath you breathe)  
Who's gonna walk you  
(I see there's something on)  
Through the dark side_

Chloe stopped singing, her half of the Bellas following suit, giving Beca the floor to take the lead.

_I don't understand why you're so cold_

Beca let her hand down, allowing Lilly to jump in with the beats of her song and for Flo, Amy, and Cynthia Rose to back her up with the melodies.

_Are we taking time or a time out?  
I can't take the in between  
Asking me for space here in my house  
You know how to mess with me  
Acting like we're not together  
After everything that we've been through  
Sleeping up under the covers  
How am I so far away from you?_

Emily added an adlib or two every now and then.

_Distant (distant) when we're kissing (kissing) feel so different (different)  
Baby, tell me_

That's when Chloe jumped in with the chorus again. The Bellas mixing the two songs seamlessly, singing their parts in pitch perfect harmonies.

_Who's gonna walk you  
(Cold enough)  
Through the dark side of the morning?  
(to chill my bones, it feels like)  
Who's gonna rock you  
(I don't know you anymore)  
When the sun won't let you sleep?  
(I don't understand why you're so)  
Who's waking up to drive you home  
(Cold to me with)  
When you're drunk and all alone?  
(every breath you breathe)  
Who's gonna walk you  
(I see there's something on)  
Through the dark side_

Beca and her side took over from Chloe's group. The Bellas were really getting into it now, conversing once again in the universal language they all spoke fluently in. Music

_How did you get so  
(I don't understand why you're so)  
Cold enough to chill my bones?  
(It ain't me, the Bowery)  
It feels like I don't know you anymore  
(whiskey neat, It ain't me)  
I don't understand why you're so  
(the Bowery)  
Cold to me with every breath you breathe  
(Whiskey neat)  
I see there's something going on  
(It ain't me)  
I don't understand why you're so cold  
(the Bowery, whiskey neat)  
I don't understand why you're so  
(It ain't me)  
Cold_

Chloe had her solo. The earlier tensions from the day dispersing. Even Amy was feeling a whole lot lighter than she did in a while, the nervousness, and the frustrations. All of the negative emotions being replaced with light, wistful smiles on each of the Bellas lips.

_I had a dream  
We were back to seventeen  
Summer nights and The Libertines  
Never growing up  
I'll take with me  
The polaroids and the memories  
But you know I'm gonna leave  
Behind the worst of us_

Then Beca, who's slowly coming back to her usual senses. Thanksgiving episode seemingly forgotten from the way she was softly looking at Chloe.

_Distant when we're kissing it feels so different  
Baby, tell me_

Chloe was the first to look away, casting her glance down at her feet before looking at the reflections of the Bellas on the still surface of the water of the pool next to them. She smiled freely, no trace of her grievances with Beca's attitude of late graced the gentle lines of her features.

_Who's gonna walk you  
(Cold enough)  
Through the dark side of the morning?  
(to chill my bones, it feel like)  
Who's gonna rock you  
(I don't know you anymore)  
When the sun won't let you sleep?  
(I don't understand why you're so)  
Who's waking up to drive you home  
(Cold to me with)  
When you're drunk and all alone?  
(every breath you breathe)  
Who's gonna walk you  
(I see there's something on)  
Through the dark side of the morning_

Amy felt a nudge on her side from Cynthia Rose just as she caught Stacie shooting them a knowing look. Beca and Chloe seemed to have disappeared into a world of their own, their attention staying only with each other.

_How did you get so  
(I don't understand why you're so)  
Cold enough to chill my bones?  
(It ain't me, the Bowery)  
It feels like I don't know you anymore  
(whiskey neat, It ain't me)  
I don't understand why you're so  
(the Bowery)  
Cold to me with every breath you breathe  
(Whiskey neat)  
I see there's something going on  
(It ain't me)  
I don't understand_

There was still much to talk about later on. As much as it pained her to say it, Amy knew that Emily was right when she first pointed it out to them that there's something not right between all of them. They needed to clear the air a little bit, understand what's really going on with each of their lives.

_Who's gonna walk you  
(Cold enough)  
Through the dark side of the morning?  
(to chill my bones, it feel like)  
Who's gonna rock you  
(I don't know you anymore)  
When the sun won't let you sleep?  
(I don't understand why you're so)  
Who's waking up to drive you home  
When you're drunk and all alone?  
Who's gonna walk you  
Through the dark side_

They haven't been a family for so long. It was time to refortify the bonds that bind them with each other.

But not without a bit of mischief of course.

_I don't understand why you're so cold_

Amy grabbed hold of Beca, wrapping her arms around her waist, before jumping down into the pool to her left. Beca all but yelped as they hit the water's surface. Cynthia Rose was the second one to jump into the pool. Then Stacie, tugging Aubrey along with her. Followed by Chloe, Jessica, and Ashley. Not wanting to miss out, Flo jumped in as well. Lilly pushed a reluctant Emily in before jumping in herself.

The Bellas all shared a laugh after that, splashing water at each other's directions and having some good old fashioned fun.

* * *

The Bellas soon found themselves sitting around the fire pit next to Beca's pool. Stacie wrapped the towel around herself a little bit tighter. The Bellas were all soaking wet. Gus had wanted to check on if Beca needed anything or if the Bellas were hungry at all. That's how he found them earlier, acting like children in the swimming pool, messing with each other and just having fun. He wasted no time in gathering all the towel they would need to help dry themselves up whenever they decided to resurface.

Five minutes after providing the towels, the Bellas realized they were all cold. Soon, they were gathered around the fire pit. It didn't take long before they started talking to each other again. Real kind of talk, ones they used to have at the Bellas house at one in the morning after Chloe attempts to have a movie night with the girls to bond, with the movie usually forgotten. Or the talks they would have in the one suite the Bellas would book for a competition, all gathered on or around the king sized mattress of the room until they all just fell asleep, all but jumbled and tangled up with each other. All except for Beca who would wait until everyone else had fallen asleep and sneak out to the pullout mattress in the living room only for Chloe to join her in the early hours of morning once she's realized that Beca was missing.

Talks where they'd go on about girl problems, or boy problems, or anxieties about the future. Deep conversations – real, honest, and raw – that helped them get to know each other and form the strong bonds that united them in the first place. No superficial "how's it going" or "so what's the last thing you've watched or read" nonsense.

Talks they haven't actually had in a while.

Flo opened up about the high stakes and pressures of operating a business. She talked about what she's been through during the pandemic, the fear of going bankrupt during the toughest of times, or helping out her employees, making sure she figured out the finances so they could all keep their jobs, and what got her going.

Emily talked about her fears, actually voicing out her anxieties, and asking her older sisters for advice of how they handled it. Chloe was the one who got what Emily was going through the best, so she was the first to speak up, comfort, and reassure the Legacy that everything was going to be okay. That she didn't need to be afraid and that, while everyone kinda dropped the ball on the keeping in touch thing, they will always have each other. Especially when one of them is having a crisis.

Chloe naturally took over the conversation after, expressing her own concerns. She was pretty much open about her experiences during the pandemic with the rest of the Bellas, but she also admitted that she still felt a bit lost somedays. That even she surprised herself with how she found herself feeling about certain things – Beca, if Stacie was allowed to guess, based on how coy she started acting as she spoke – and how she felt torn about what to do next. She wanted to continue chasing some of her dreams so she could turn them into reality, but sometimes your own expectations on how things will unfold get the best of you, and that's how Chloe felt. Torn by what could be and what she wanted, and how reality kept trying to bring up unexpected circumstances.

"To be clear, because some of us are a little dense and confused, you're not talking about considering getting back together with the military man, right?" Stacie asked, feigning innocence. The answer was obviously no, that wasn't what Chloe was talking about, but she figured she could take this opportunity to set the record straight about a few things. "I mean, you've been on the phone a lot, and only Emily and CR has been glued to theirs because of their S.O.s"

Chloe eyed Stacie suspiciously before flatly saying, "No, Stace. Besides, I already told you and Bree, the two of us just caught up with each other as friends. If he wanted to start something again, I made it clear I wasn't interested."

"Oh, and why not?" Amy chimed in.

"We both have our reasons," was all that Chloe said in response. "As for the messages, my co-workers got engaged to each other over Christmas. Everyone's excited to celebrate when we get back, trying to make plans, asking questions over how it went down, that kind of stuff."

Cynthia Rose talked about her own worries and problems next. At the very least, her gambling problem stayed in control no matter how tempted she was to fall back to old patterns when things got too tough and she thankfully found other ways to cope with all her stress. Her wife's job affected their lives heavily during the pandemic. "I was really scared, you know?" she said, her voice cracking up as she spoke before going on about the nights where she wasn't sure if they would even see each other again, with her wife working in a COVID floor of the hospital. Especially during the worst waves that hit the city where they lived. Not knowing if, or more likely when, her wife got infected, made her feel like she was living in a nightmare. Thoughts of whether or not she would make it through or how badly it could possibly hit her would always creep in when her fears got the best of her. Everyone else were pretty much at a loss of what to say. Somehow Stacie understood why Cynthia Rose was always talking to her wife on the phone when they were apart. It was probably a habit that formed during those times, when they made the most of seeing each other through a video call, not knowing if things would take a turn for the worst and it ended up being the last time they get a chance to talk.

That was when Jessica spoke up, talking about her experiences with her family. She told them how everyone of her relatives tried to pitch in the effort with each other when members of her family got sick, and how they were still financially recovering from all the crazy hospital bills. Ashley jumped in, talking about how thankful she was that they had each other during that time, but with members of her own family also being affected, it created a sense of hopelessness too. That while they had each other, it also felt like that somedays, each other was all that they had.

Stacie opened up next, expressing the same sentiments, and talking about what she's been going through with being a mother as well. To actually take care of another human being, and figure out all the stuff you don't really think about, like where Bella would go to school, and finding a district to live in with a good school to begin with. Or figuring out how to balance work while taking care of Bella during a pandemic, especially during lockdown. Or the fear she got every time someone sneezed, or Bella would get sick, even before COVID, and reading up on all the types of illnesses a tiny human being could get, and how badly that could affect her child. Those nights were usually spent without any sleep at all. That was just scratching the surface. "I get it now, the whole it takes a village thing, because it seriously does take a village," Stacie said, stealing a glance at Aubrey before smiling softly at herself. She would always be thankful they ended up finding their way to each other. She doesn't know what she would do without Aubrey by her side.

Aubrey came after her, talking about her own worries. She was happy that she managed to work on most of her issues with her dad, but there was still the haunting thoughts about whether or not he would be proud of her, or with some of the current decisions she's made. She was still learning to let go of the imperfections and just embrace the blessings she's found in her life, forget about what other people thought or expected. Life was journey, after all. In Aubrey's case, her journey involved learning to accept who she loved and trying to figure out her own path in life as well. Chloe and Emily weren't the only ones feeling uncertainties. She's switched careers so many times over the past five years, for example. Aubrey then talked about her own worries about her financial stability and career options during lockdown, one that ultimately helped her find her way to her current job of managing a crisis center.

Lilly followed Aubrey. She mostly talked about disjointed dreams and how some felt like catastrophic premonitions. She fully embraced her name as Lilly after the possession because that's who she felt who she really was, not Esther. But sometimes she wasn't sure if it was because there was a lingering presence inside her. Flo, looked uneasy, and made the sign of the cross while the rest of the Bellas looked a little at a loss of what to say.

"Don't worry, Lilly. You've always been one of us, with or without the devil inside. If you think it's getting to bad, I'll fly you to Rome myself. Or better yet, we'll call the real Ghostbusters, or the Pope, or whoever can help you," Amy said, her tone laced with uncertainty, but from what Stacie could tell she was really trying hard to rouse up some support. Paranormal activities were a little out of the Bellas depth, but Lilly was one of them, so Stacie agreed, and so did the others shortly after.

Amy took her turn after Lilly. She didn't really have much on her plate, her lifestyle unaffected by the problems that affected the rest of their friends. She did promise, however, to be there for everyone and to try and be a better friend. '"It's all been good and fun for me, I might have lost touch with the mortal coil a little bit. To make it up, and since more money pretty much brings more problems for me, I'll just split my share of the prize money with the rest of the Bellas. Even chip in with Shawshank's donation when we win. By the way, Beca, have you figured out who you want to give all that money to?"

Beca smiled. "I have a few groups in mind," she replied. The Bellas all turned to her with apt attention. Amy gave Beca an understanding look, urging her on, prompting for Stacie to quirk an eyebrow at Amy. Beca took a deep breath before slowly releasing it. Even that wasn't enough to prepare the Bellas to hear the burden that Beca had to carry with her the last five years.

Fame had a price. For Beca, she paid mostly with her time and the lack of rest, playing along with the rules of the game set before her. There were dark nights when she felt like she could have easily lost her way, but Theo, Rhian, and even Gus stayed true allies to her. They helped her cope with all the stress that the demands of her label put on her, and stirred her clear of the terrible vices that could ruin her. Vices that were very much easily accessible to her, with the temptation always lurking in the corner. Her other connections helped her find the best lawyers to protect her interests. But everything else still took a toll on her. The politics, the bargaining, the endless deals one needed to make. Everything was a business, everything was related to work. Everything was calculated. From her actions to the words she said, all done out of the interest of furthering her career. All so she could establish herself, so she could start defining her own terms, build her reputation, and leverage her talent. Stacie had to admit, fighting for your dreams while forging your own way of doing so and staying true to who she was sounded tough.

"Not exactly the fairytale you wanted to hear, huh?" Beca then noted. "But I can't exactly complain either. Some talents still have it worse," she remarked. "Things will change soon, I'm working on it. I don't want to play by the restrictive rules of that game anymore."

Stacie studied the look on Beca's face carefully. The fire of determination in her eyes were clear. She couldn't help but wonder what got Beca going all those years, steadfast in her plans and in her belief, and what still had her going to fight to do things the way she wanted to.

There seemed to be something more that Beca wanted to say. Her mouth tried to form the words, but they just wouldn't come out. Stacie took that as her cue. She was the first to stand up, excusing herself, and asking Bree to join her to come check on Bella and maybe get a shower and change, not catch a cold and all. She shot a parting look at Amy and Cynthia Rose before leaving. As she came back inside of Beca's living room, Stacie could make out some of the things that the Bellas said to excuse themselves and give Beca and Chloe some much needed time to talk alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's excited for the next chapters? This one right here, the person writing it :D
> 
> I'm not fond of a "perfect" long conversation if you guys haven't noticed yet (nor am I fond of perfect characters), what, with all the interruptions. But trust me when I say, you'll love some of the moments in the next chapters. Especially 20. You'll love 20.
> 
> Just bear patience with me, folks.
> 
> The mash-up in this chapter is Cold/It Ain't Me (by Sam Tsui). Check it out, it's awesome. It's also been updated on the playlist below
> 
> www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbWZQ6nwYXxFjX9z3vft3leEz7dN9K_5


	18. Sanctuary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aubrey, Stacie, and Amy have had enough of the interruptions. They try to push Beca and Chloe in the right direction, encouraging both to seize the moment of peace the late night brought to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Something came up for me tomorrow so I won't be able to upload then, but since we got a wintry day today that messed my schedule around, I had time for another upload tonight. So here's chapter 18, featuring some more conversations. We have Aubrey, Beca, and Chloe's POVs here.
> 
> You'll love Chloe's POV.

The day threw all sorts of surprises their way. Aubrey had to admit, it started pretty hectic, frustrating, and tiring. But in the end, the Bellas found a way to power through. Not through their preparations, but through the walls and distance that kept them apart.

It almost felt like that first time they truly connected, back at the rehearsal space, sharing secrets, and then at the old abandoned pool at Barden.

There was one thing that disappointed Aubrey though. As Beca's turn came to a close, the Bellas started excusing themselves one by one, starting with Stacie. A silent agreement had been formed through the exchange of glances to give Beca and Chloe some time to talk in private. Since Thanksgiving, things were a little tense between the two. If Aubrey was honest, she'd say that it started even before then, with their loss against DSM during the Halloween Bash. Either way, the Bellas thought, that perhaps this moment would give them the chance to clear the air. Maybe even more.

Except, that's not what happened.

The Bellas all went back to their own rooms. Aubrey went to grab a snack in the kitchen, lingering for a minute to check on Beca and Chloe through the kitchen window that had a view of the fire pit. Instead of reconnecting or having awkward starts to a much needed conversation, Aubrey saw Gus approach Beca to remind her of a meeting. "You might want to make yourself look presentable too. You've got about ten minutes," she heard him say as she watched Beca, hair still damp from their dip in the pool, marched inside, Gus right behind her.

The rest of the day went by relatively quick after that. Chloe looked disappointed herself that she barely got a word in with Beca before her job – this time in the form of a video call - got in the way of things again.

Gus pretty much took care of the Bellas' needs the rest of the day. Beca made her personal chef available for the girls as well, but that night they decided on making dinner themselves. Whatever it was the Beca had to deal with was apparently not done by dinner. Gus ended up bringing her a plate of food in her home studio.

"I thought she's in a meeting?" Aubrey had asked earlier while the Bellas set the table. "I doubt it's seen professional to eat food while in a meeting."

"Oh, the meeting was done hours ago, but something came up and Beca's working on it so that it doesn't have to get in the way of your practice tomorrow. She wants to minimize the interruptions," was his response.

The Bellas decided to go to bed early after that, wanting to be refreshed and ready to pick-up practice the next day. Amy stuck around a little while longer, chatting with Stacie in the living room after they tucked Bella in for the night. Aubrey decided to stick with them for a while, with Chloe excusing herself, wanting a moment to be alone with her thoughts for a bit.

It was nearing midnight. Gus had already gone home, but Beca's plate never returned downstairs. Amy, getting worried that Beca was working too hard again, decided to head up and check in on her. Aubrey joined them, wanting to check on Bella and Chloe.

Aubrey had thought that Chloe had gone to bed by then. The four of them – her, Bella, Stacie, and Aubrey – were all bunked together in one king-sized mattress because of the whole thing with Beca. Aubrey didn't mind much, but it was clear that it was starting to get on Stacie's nerves.

To her surprise though, Chloe hadn't gone to bed yet. Amy was the first one who noticed her presence at the far end of the retreat, playing on the baby grand piano that Beca had. "We take Shawshank, you take care of Red?" she asked Aubrey.

Aubrey chuckled. "Sure," she replied before the three of them parted ways near the stairs. Amy and Stacie turned towards the direction of Beca's home studio and Aubrey walked towards where Chloe was, taking a seat on the armchair closest to the piano. She smiled lightly as she listened to Chloe softly singing as she played.

_When you walk away, you don't hear me say  
"Please, oh baby, don't go."  
Simple and clean  
is the way that you're making me feel tonight  
It's hard to let it go_

Still, Aubrey had to admit, at least it was better than the angry tunes Chloe kept playing previously, She practically banging on the keys of Beca's old keyboard, frustrated with how Beca was acting after the whole Chicago-incident.

_Hold me  
Whatever lies beyond this morning  
Is a little later on  
Regardless of warnings  
The future doesn't scare me at all  
Nothing's like before_

Chloe stopped, finally taking notice of Aubrey's presence. "Why'd you stop?" Aubrey asked.

Chloe shrugged. "What's up?"

"I could ask the same with you," Aubrey replied. "You've been antsy the whole time since Beca got summoned into another meeting. Can't help but wonder if there's something on your mind. By the way, I don't think I've heard that song before but there's something familiar with it. Where's it from?"

"It's from that old game my brothers loved playing when they were younger. You've been over to our place for one of our holidays before, I think they were replaying it at that time," Chloe explained before making her over to take her spot on the sectional, the armchair just within her reach.

Aubrey nodded processing the information before smiling lightly. "It sounds like a perfect song to serenade the hobbit."

Chloe took one of the throw pillows on the sectional and smacked Aubrey on the arm with it. "That hurt."

"It did not," Chloe replied with a chuckle.

Aubrey shook her head. "Are you waiting for Beca?" she then asked. Chloe looked uncertain, and Aubrey couldn't help but think that she wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to talk to Beca then or later on. "You two should talk, especially after our Thanksgiving episode."

"We're really calling that an episode?" Chloe threw back.

"Well, it most definitely got interesting when you're ex showed up," Aubrey noted. "There's a lot of things going on in there. In both you and Beca, I mean."

"I know that, Bree." Chloe took a deep breath and looked away, her eyes briefly glancing at the direction of Beca's home studio before casting it down and looking at her own hands. "I… well I… I don't want things between us, whatever we settle on or eventually talk about, affect the Bellas and their chances of winning in anyway. Besides, it sounds like Beca's got a lot on her plate right now to burden her with my feelings."

"Okay, stop," Aubrey then grumbled as a response. "I've been in this back and forth with you for far too many years now. There's always something that you want to prioritize, or something on Beca's mind, or whatever else excuse you can find."

"Yeah, but…" Chloe tried to argue.

"No 'buts' this time," Aubrey immediately replied. "Did you know the hard parts of it? The things she's been through?" she asked, changing the topic a little.

"A little," Chloe admitted, "I didn't fully get how much it affected her though. We've only started to talk about it now, whenever we have the time to spend between all the prep and practice for the contest."

"Open with that," Aubrey suggested, "when the two of you talk. I just feel, Chloe, that there's a lot that needs to get unpacked there. Beca's fighting for something, well, something other than her dreams. I think that's why she keeps on marching on, finding ways to make things work her way. And this might just be me, but I can't help but feel that there's something about that topic that revolves around you too."

"What makes you say that?" Chloe asked.

"Just a feeling," Aubrey replied, her thoughts circling back to Rhian and her rather aloof interactions with the Bellas, most especially Chloe. "Look, Chloe, there's always going to be something popping up, and you'll never have that perfect moment, that 'time' to actually act on what you feel. I don't want to pressure you, but I just think that it's time, you know? Rip off the band aid? You can wait until the end of the contest if you want, or you can at least talk to Beca and resolve whatever the hell that's been going on between the two of you the past two months with all the misunderstandings."

Chloe nodded thoughtfully, a look of doubt still lingering in her eyes. All that Aubrey wanted was happiness for Chloe, and she knew that Beca made her happy. She also knew that Chloe made Beca happy. Heck, anyone who sees how the two of them look at each other can figure it out. They're in love. But before that happiness can ever be their reality, they need to acknowledge the thing they've been burying deep inside them. Aubrey sighed. For some reason, her usually brave best friend , the one who's not afraid of getting what she wants, always dissolves into the vulnerable mess of a girl in front of her when it comes to Beca Mitchell. She hoped this would be one of the last times she would need Aubrey to give her a gentle push.

"I still stand by what I said earlier, you know," Aubrey started to say. "You wouldn't be playing that song if it didn't remind you of Beca."

Chloe turned to Aubrey, quirking an eyebrow at her remark.

Aubrey grinned. "Simple and clean is the way she makes you feel," she teased, earning herself another smack with the throw pillow in Chloe's possession. This time, however, Aubrey was ready and caught it in her hand. She managed to take the pillow away from Chloe who then made a face. Aubrey chuckled and shook her head at her best friend's antics. "Just to be clear," she then said, "I do think that maybe the same can be said with the way you make her feel. Especially with the craziness of the world she lives in now. Maybe you're that light in the lingering darkness. The warm bright light, not the blinding one that comes with shadows from constantly being under the spotlight. All I'm saying here is that you'll never know, Chlo, not if you don't talk with her. And we've both already lived through you never knowing. Maybe chase after your happiness this time?"

Chloe smiled. "I'll try, but…"

"If she breaks your heart, I'll be here," Aubrey finished for her. "I always will be," she reassured Chloe, hoping that it would give her some sense of security to know that someone was there to catch her when she falls. "But she honestly better not, or she'll have me to contend with," Aubrey threw in for safe measure. Although, she had a feeling, she wouldn't need to step in at all.

* * *

Beca tried her best to stifle a yawn. She was listening to the song she wrote, the one she passed off to a band she helped discover. The song was going to be the lead single from their first EP, one that Beca was producing for them, and was scheduled to be released soon, but it still needed some finishing touches. She had just finished tweaking it a bit and was listening to its entirety to be sure it was as perfect as it could be.

She heard a tentative knock on the door, but Beca didn't pay much attention to it. She figured it would just be Gus dropping in to clear the plate he brought for her for dinner and say goodbye before he left. What Beca didn't realize was that Gus already dropped by to say goodbye while she was eating and working.

_In you and I, there's a new land  
Angels in flight  
_ _(I need more affection than you know)_ _  
A sanctuary, my sanctuary, yeah  
_ _Where fears and lies melt away  
Music will tie  
_ _(I need more affection than you know)_ _  
What's left of me, what's left of me now_

"Wow, Shawshank, that's a pretty good song. Who's the band? When's it going to be released?" she heard Amy ask instead.

_I watch you  
fast asleep  
All I fear  
means nothing_

Beca looked up, the song was blasting through the speakers of her home studio. She adjusted the volume and waived Amy and Stacie in. "I thought you were Gus."

Stacie laughed. "Beca, Gus left like two hours ago."

Beca crinkled her brows together and went to check the time on her phone. Sure enough, it was nearing midnight. "I've forgotten how you keep forgetting everything else when you're in the zone, Beca," Amy said with a chuckle. "But seriously, who's the band? I haven't heard this in the radio before."

"It's their debut single, and they're called Dusk," Beca replied. "I wrote the song for my album but it didn't really fit, I figured it would be a perfect match for them."

Stacie whistled. "Well, its damn good," she said, clearly impressed. "Why'd you chuck it out?"

"I just…" Beca started to say before holding herself back. What Beca wanted to say was that she just wasn't sure if it was the perfect song to convey the words that she's been trying to get out of her mouth for a while now. The perfect song she could use to tell Chloe how she felt.

But it just felt like something was missing from it. A kind of softness, vulnerability, one that Emily helped her figure out with the song they worked on, even without explaining to Emily why it needed to be that way or to whom it was for. Truth be told, Beca wasn't sure how the Bellas would react if she told them about how she felt for Chloe. They seem to be fine with Stacie and Aubrey clearly being together, so she was hoping it would go well with them too.

"Any time now, Shawshank," Amy teased.

"Maybe Beca's planning to use it to profess her love to someone and it just didn't capture the moment she was going for perfectly," Stacie joked.

But Beca froze. Stacie hit the head on the nail.

"I was genuinely kidding," Stacie replied. "But good to see you're making progress with things."

"What do you mean?" Beca asked her confused. Amy and Stacie exchanged dumbfounded looks before whispering among themselves.

It was Stacie who replied, looking rather exasperated. "Chloe, we meant Chloe, Beca. It's not that hard to figure out that all your more romantic songs are for her, based on her, is meant for her, all that."

Beca was stunned, mouth agape.

Silence fell among them for a few seconds, as Beca tried to process the fact that both Stacie and Amy knew. And if the two of them knew, then the Bellas had to have known too.

But does that mean that Chloe knew as well?

No, if Chloe knew about how Beca felt, she would have said something.

_So many ups and downs_   
_My heart's a battleground  
_ _I need true emotions_   
_(I need more affection than you know)_   
_I need true emotions_

"I think you broke her, Stace," Amy then commented. That was enough to snap Beca back to her senses.

"You guys knew!" she exclaimed, stating the obvious. "How? Why? How? W-Why didn't you tell me?"

Stacie face-palmed. "Are you kidding me? Didn't you know this entire time?" she asked.

"Well... I mean, it's just... at some point the past couple of years I figured it out, but I mean... If you knew, that would have helped a lot. With me. I wouldn't have wasted so much time. I just..." Beca rambled on, increasingly feeling flustered as she realized how much of a dummy she had been all these years and how much the Bellas actually noticed about it.

"We thought you knew!" Stacie exclaimed, sounding even more exasperated as she cut Beca's ramblings short. "I mean, you should know better about what you feel than we do," Stacie all but grumbled as a response. "We thought that you were just having some existential crisis or something, and we didn't want to out you to yourself. Or maybe that you just weren't sure if Chloe would reciprocate your feelings and you're just afraid. With all the flirting we've had to endure the past decade, we genuinely thought you'd come around and just get it out in the open when you were ready. Or you know, if we the Bellas ever succeed in getting you two in a situation where you're forced to confront your feelings. Do you have any idea how many times we wanted to just lock you in a closet with Chloe and only let you out when you two get things sorted? We kept fighting the urge. We wanted to give you space, but apparently you had too much space."

Amy found the whole thing amusing. "If you're worried about Chloe figuring it out herself, the answer is no, Shawshank. I'm pretty sure everyone else knows you love each other except for the two of you."

_You show me how to see  
That nothing is whole  
And nothing is broken_

Beca was left speechless with Amy's remark. While it was true that she did love Chloe, Beca wasn't sure that Chloe was in love with her. The Bellas seemed to disagree though.

Was it true?

Did Chloe love her too?

_In you and I, there's a new land  
Angels in flight  
_ _(I need more affection than you know)_ _  
A sanctuary, my sanctuary, yeah_

"You two seriously need to talk," Stacie then said. "For our part, we'll try to stir the Bellas clear and help minimize the interruptions."

"Yeah, whenever you're ready, Beca," Amy chimed in. "Although it seems like you're ready now."

_Where fears and lies melt away  
Music will tie  
_ _(I need more affection than you know)_ _  
What's left of me, what's left of me now_

Beca nodded. Amy and Stacie were pretty much spot on, she's been wanting to talk to Chloe about what she felt for her for a while now. Sadly, something always came up.

_My fears, my lies  
Melt away_

But not anymore.

It was time.

* * *

Chloe tried to turn in for the night after her talk with Aubrey but try as she might, sleep would not find her. She got up and walked towards the window of the bedroom, her thoughts keeping her awake. Aubrey was already asleep next to Bella, with Stacie still not back in their room. Chloe briefly wondered if any of the other Bellas were still up, remembering nights back in Barden where all the girls would be too excited to sleep because of an upcoming competition, having late night discussions around the kitchen island. It was enough to convince her to sneak out for a late cup of tea, maybe catch one of the girls for a late night chat to help her fall asleep.

The entire place was quiet. Chloe caught sight of Stacie and Amy having a late night chat in the retreat, right where she had her talk with Aubrey, before heading down the stairs with the idea of joining them later on. She was a little surprised that Amy hasn't gone home to Bumper, but she figured that if anything, she has her way of going home safely with her own set of drivers and bodyguards at her beck and call.

As she made her way down the stairs, Chloe wondered if she should instead take this time to knock on Beca's door and see if she was still up, or if they could talk. They haven't had the proper chance to do so, and maybe, just maybe, the stillness that the haunting hour brought with it would give them the time to do so.

Aubrey was right, they had a lot of things to talk about.

The only real problem Chloe had was whether or not Beca would still be awake.

Chloe didn't have to wait for long to find if Beca was indeed awake. As it turned out, the once-upon-a-time rebellious DJ was having a plate of cookies and a glass of milk on her kitchen counter. She looked up surprised to see Chloe still up. Beca tried to greet her, covering her mouth as she finished the cookies she was still munching on, but whatever came out was some strange garbled sound. Chloe couldn't help but be amused by her reaction. For someone insisting she's a badass, Beca was too adorable sometimes.

Beca drank a bit of the milk she had set aside to wash it all down. Chloe was still giggling by the time she reached the kitchen, going around Beca to prepare herself a drink. "Sorry," Beca then mumbled. "But I was asking you if you can't sleep."

"A little," Chloe replied. "I was hoping tea would help," she said. "Gotta say, surprised you'd be drinking milk late at night. I'm pretty sure you missed the window for milk to help you grow tall."

"Ouch," Beca then said. "I didn't think I'd ever get height jokes from you, Beale."

"It's your fault, you gave me the opening," Chloe retorted, joining Beca. Chloe pulled herself up on a stool next to Beca, deep at thought. "Listen," they ended up chorusing before both gesturing for the other to go first.

Beca eventually yielded. "I just, I wanted to say sorry. I was being an idiot for a while there. I just had a lot on my mind."

"Well, you weren't the only one," Chloe admitted. She wasn't sure why Beca started acting all strange during Thanksgiving. She figured that Chicago had something to do with it. Chloe got the feeling that Beca never really liked him, but Beca's reaction took her by surprise. It was almost as if she was jealous.

"You are okay, right Becs?" Chloe followed up.

Beca hummed, lost at thought for a moment before realizing what Chloe was asking. "Oh, yeah. I'm fine, Chlo, and I mean that. I've got good people around me, and I'm kinda hoping I've got my Bellas back too," she replied with a smile. "Especially you?"

"I just, I want to make sure," Chloe then said. "I know you said that you didn't call because you thought you'd be disturbing my life, but Becs, if you need me… If you absolutely need me because it all feels too much, or you're overworked, or too stressed out, or anything…"

Beca reached out to grab hold of Chloe's hand and gave it a tight squeeze, "I'm okay, Chlo," she repeated. "I'm lucky to be surrounded by people who knew how to keep me sane. Gus is good with the pep talks. He kinda' reminds me of Jess with his love of movies too, but I just can't sit still and binge for too long. Theo and Rhian are surprisingly really into video games, that worked really well to help me de-stress. Why do you think I suddenly have all the consoles? Besides, I only attend parties for the business angle. Even when there's something big to celebrate. We usually end up here with our own private party, Rhian kicking Theo's ass in _Mario Kart_ , or taking turns playing through the latest RPG Gus can find for us. Sometimes we'll just put on party music and dance like idiots."

Chloe laughed, remembering nights when they'd do the same at the Bellas house, or when they moved to New York. A tradition that started with just the two of them, and then with Amy when she moved in, celebrating the little victories or just trying to shake off the negative feelings they'd get when they're down.

"It's never been the same without you, though," Beca then said. Chloe could see the gears in Beca's mind turning after she spoke, a smirk tugging on the corner of her lips. "Come with me," she went on to say, pulling Chloe to the living room.

Beca stopped short a few feet away from her stereo system, connecting her phone to the speakers and going through her playlist.

"I don't think we'd want to wake the Bellas up," Chloe commented, cluing in on what Beca was thinking. "We still have practice tomorrow and I don't think Bree would be too happy to find us all tired."

"Don't worry, I had something else in mind," Beca mumbled, never taking her eyes off from her phone screen as she scrolled through her music library before finally pressing play.

Chloe could hear the gently strumming of the guitars for the intro. She turned to Beca with a curious gaze, "What are you up to?"

Beca offered her a hand. "I figured we could dance," she innocently replied. "It's one of the many things I missed the last five years."

"This isn't how we used to dance, Becs," Chloe noted but nevertheless accepted Beca's hand.

_Isn't it funny how time seems to slip away so fast?  
One minute, you're happy; the other, you're sad  
But if you give me one more chance to show my love for you is true  
I'll stand by your side, your whole life through_

Beca pulled her closer, resting both of her hands on Chloe's waist. Chloe, for her part, rested hers on Beca's shoulders, and the two started swaying slowly to the music. Beca had a content expression on her face, as she pulled Chloe even closer, resting her head on her shoulder, Chloe pressing her head down on the crown of her head.

_Love is a word that explains how I feel for you  
When you're in my arms, all my dreams come true  
And when you're not around, you can't hardly see  
These tears that I'm crying now are for you to be with me_

Chloe could feel her heart beating rapidly against her chest, silently hoping that Beca won't notice. Everything around them stilled as they danced, with Beca's choice of music the only sound that can be heard. Chloe tightened her arms around Beca as she let herself fully enjoy the moment. She wanted to savor each passing minute, reveling in Beca's warmth, in her scent, and in every way that she made Chloe feel. If Chloe had a choice, she'd never let Beca go again, wishing for the few minutes that the song gifted them to never end. Their slow dance was a much welcomed moment of calm.

She felt Beca tightening her hold as well, their bodies pressed against each other with only enough space left to allow themselves to continue swaying to the music. Her thoughts go back to the night on that stage, that moment everything changed for Beca, that moment Chloe made her stupidest decision yet. She wondered what would have happened if she had built up her courage then. Ripped off the band aid, like Aubrey said.

Why did she think that she could ever let Beca go?

Beca chuckled, the two of them were slowly messing up their steps, their legs bumping against each other and getting all but tangled up. But Beca didn't pull away, nor did she say anything at all. Instead, she felt Beca slowly stop, lift her head and look up without stepping away from Chloe at all, causing their foreheads to press up against each other. Chloe's gaze met Beca's briefly before flickering down to her lips. Both of them inching closer to each other, as if they were magnets of opposite polarity, naturally being drawn together.

_If life is so short  
Why won't you let me love you before we run out of time?  
If love is so strong  
Why won't you take the chance before our time has gone?_

Chloe felt her heart fluttering in her chest with each passing second. Anticipation making the moment last for all eternity.

But then they heard a crash coming from somewhere upstairs.

_If life is so short, if life is so short_

They both jumped a step away from each other, startled by the noise. Part of the second floor was opened below, giving a view of the living area. Beca quickly headed closer to where the stairs were, searching for the source of the sound. She was grumbling something incomprehensible when she finally marched up the stairs.

Chloe, on the other hand, stayed rooted to where Beca left her standing, her heart ready to jump out her chest. She didn't really care much about the source of the noise they heard. One thought ruled her mind.

She very nearly kissed Beca.

And, if Chloe would allow herself to admit it, Beca very nearly kissed her too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They still haven't had the chance to properly talk, lol XP
> 
> Sorry about the almost kiss too… and that you have to wait until Sunday for the next chapter...
> 
> I feel like at this point I'm just testing your patience, no?
> 
> They're all coming soon, I promise! They kinda' really have to talk now, after all.
> 
> Also, this is a long end notes section, I apologize. It's because of some bit of trivia.
> 
> Songs in the chapter are Simple and Clean and Sanctuary (by Hikaru Utada), and If Life is so Short (by the Moffats). I used a stripped down, newer version of the last song by the twin members of the Moffats in the playlist because I like it more than the original. Check the link below for the playlist:
> 
> www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbWZQ6nwYXxFjX9z3vft3leEz7dN9K_5
> 
> As for the two other songs…
> 
> The version I added in the playlist for Simple and Clean is Musicality's rendition of the song since that was the one I was listening to while writing. The original Japanese version of the song is called Hikari (side note, the orchestra version of the song is absolutely glorious), which is the Japanese word for "light." The song's not directly translated from English to Japanese, and the line simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight is originally "the light known as 'you' finds me, in the middle of the night" when directly translated. It gives the impression that the person the song refers to is the light in the singer's life. I don't know, I think it was just sweet to tie it down to Bechloe, what with Chloe constantly referring to Beca as a star shining brightly, and I do think in a way, it was Chloe who brought that light to come shining out of Beca.
> 
> Fun fact, Simple and Clean is possibly the most recognized song tied to the Kingdom Hearts (KH) series (I love the video games, they're all fun, just don't think about the plot), being the iconic song used at the end of the first game. A remixed version of the song was used in the opening of Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories (KH Re:CoM) along with the original arrangement for its ending theme.
> 
> Sanctuary (or Passion in Japanese), the other song that, for the purpose of this fic, was the song Beca wrote but passed off to a band named Dusk, is also from KH. Also a fun fact, the line "I need more affection than you know" was sang in reverse in the original version of the song by Hikaru Utada (at least in the English version). The version included to the YT playlist is by the actual band (i.e., Dusk) who did a cover of the song. Sanctuary was used in Kingdom Hearts II (and later on used in KH 358/2 days) and had two arrangements, one for the opening and one for the ending.
> 
> Now, why am I bringing up KH?
> 
> Well, one of the main characters introduced in Re:CoM (whose abilities influence the events of the game) and who has a strong presence in KH II is Naminé, who was voiced by none other than
> 
> *drum roll please*
> 
> Brittany Snow!
> 
> I love the songs and thought it would be fun to include the ones predominantly used in the titles she featured in. They recast her voice actress in the later games though.
> 
> I might throw in another KH song from the third main title somewhere down the line because I just love that song as well. We'll see. But that's all for now. Hope you enjoyed the update!


	19. Four Letters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emily reflects on the Bellas latest shenanigans. Beca and Chloe find a quiet moment that they're both hoping won't get interrupted. Again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings friends, I come bleeding to deliver you this update. No, seriously. I was opening a can earlier and, well, in the battle between me and the finicky key thing that you need to use to open the can, well, the finicky key won and ended up creating a thin piece of metal that slice dthrough the middle phalange of my index finger...
> 
> But anyways...
> 
> Here you go, folks! Chapter 19! We pick up right where we left off with the source of the noise that disrupted the moment, Emily (she's really sorry).
> 
> We also have Beca and Chloe here, of course.

Emily sighed heavily as she leaned on the railings of Beca's terrace. Half an hour ago, she and Lilly were woken up by Amy. Stacie had summoned the rest of the Bellas, except for Aubrey – because apparently she didn't have the heart to wake her up after falling asleep – because Beca and Chloe were having a moment.

Both Amy and Stacie were still chatting up in the retreat, Amy waiting for her driver to pick her up. Beca was apparently having a midnight snack downstairs. But then they noticed Chloe heading down as well. That's when the spying started.

They couldn't really get a good view of them in the kitchen but then Amy saw Beca heading towards the living room with Chloe and then romantic music started playing. What else could they do afterwards but to wake the Bellas up?

The second floor had a view of the first floor below, the railings from the stairwell leading up to the retreat being open. Sure, the Bellas all had to cram to one corner around the stairwell, right next to some kind of porcelain vase that Beca had on display, to get a view of Beca and Chloe slow dancing to a song that Emily wasn't at all familiar with but was indeed romantic.

Jessica made a comment about getting some popcorn because it was quite a beautiful movie-like scene and that she could just watch the two of them all evening long. Ashley reminded her that they would end up ruining the moment if they did pop a bag in the microwave and grab a bowl.

Amy started freaking out after that, so did Stacie. The song still played but Beca seemed to have stilled. All the Bellas tried to get a better view, even Emily, excited about what was happening, hoping that they could finally have the breakthrough that all of the girls had been wishing for.

But in the quest of trying to get a better view, Emily ended up hitting the porcelain vase, which fell down and crashed before she could even attempt to catch it.

All the Bellas turned to glare at her in perfect synchrony before Cynthia Rose pointed out that Beca was coming towards their direction.

The Bellas all but scrambled back into their rooms, practically shoving each other out of the way to get to safety. Stacie updated them five minutes ago via a text explaining that Amy took the heat, telling Beca that she was just about to head down and go home. Lucky for Amy, her driver arrived a minute after that. She said goodbye to Stacie and Beca before heading home. Stacie had just turned in, still annoyed at Emily for ruining the moment because she now had to go back to sleep in a bed with her, Aubrey, Bella, and Chloe all crammed together.

Emily apologized. She asked Lilly if it was okay to share their room with Chloe – if she still refused to stay in Beca's room – and Bella the following night so that Stacie could have some alone time with Aubrey. They did have two separate twin beds instead of a king-sized mattress in their room. Lilly agreed, and Stacie's building fury was placated.

But with all the excitement from the night, Emily found that she could no longer sleep. She tried messing with the piano at the retreat for a brief moment before eventually deciding to head out to the terrace for some moment of quiet.

Emily had to hand it to Beca, she definitely had tastes. The view from the terrace of the Hollywood Hills was just breathtaking. But that's not all that Emily had a view off. To her right, she had a view of the fire pit. Beca was sitting on one of the cushy chairs, her back against Emily.

Looks like Emily wasn't the only one with the case of insomnia.

Emily thought about calling Beca, ask her if she wanted to have some company. But then Beca grabbed the guitar on the seat next to her, mindlessly strumming the strings along to familiar chords of random songs before settling on one.

 _I've been down this road before_ _  
__The minute that we get closer_ _  
__I get colder_

Beca started singing, mostly to herself. Emily couldn't help but wonder if she did this most nights, even without the Bellas around, or any competition on her mind for that matter.

After all, music was Beca's safe haven. The place she turns to when she had a lot on her mind, or when she's feeling lost or unsure of anything.

 _Got an angel in my sight_ _  
__But it's these demons deep inside_ _  
__They can't hold you_

Emily walked closer to the corner of the terrace, entranced by Beca's rendition of the song. A part of her couldn't help but think the song was meant for someone.

A certain redhead with ocean blue eyes and a mega-watt smile that always left Beca breathless.

 _And all my friends keep on wondering why_ _  
__I haven't tried_ _  
__It's like your love keeps on counting down_ _  
__Am I running out?_ _  
__Wish my heart could talk_ _  
__But it's all in my head_

Emily soon noticed they weren't alone. She saw Rhian walk out underneath the shade of the terrace, stopping a few feet short of Beca. She was dressed a bit more casually than she usually was. Emily was intrigued by her sudden presence and decided to stick around some more, ducking below to hide behind the railings which had thick marbled vectors evenly distributed so that they only had narrow spaces between each other. If she could hear Beca singing from where she stood, she was hoping she could at least hear whatever conversation they may have.

It's not that Emily wanted to eavesdrop, but she couldn't help but be curious as to why Beca's publicist was in her home past midnight.

 _I know you'd take my stubborn heart_ _  
__And you would you heal all of these scars_ _  
__If I let you in_ _  
__If I keep on holding back_ _  
__You'd be the best I never had_ _  
__And that haunts me_

Peaking between the marbled vectors, Emily saw Theo join Rhian, also dressed rather casually. He had a carry out tray with coffee. He handed one to Rhian before walking towards Beca to hand her one herself. Beca set aside the guitar and thanked Theo as he got settled on one of the seats, Rhian quickly joining them.

"Gotta say, Beca, I was surprised to see you respond my email so quick. Or for that matter, summon us here to talk about things right now," Theo commented. He sounded sleepy himself.

"Well, I figured I'd switch things around and intrude on your personal time for once," Beca replied dryly. Theo chuckled while Rhian grumbled.

"I was wondering why you haven't snapped at us just yet," she then said, "I'm guessing you were just bidding your time for a perfect moment of revenge."

"You know me too well," Beca replied. "Although honestly, I couldn't sleep anyways, and we have practice tomorrow… this way we get minimal distractions."

"Fair," Theo then said. "I've got the documents prepared for all the stuff here," he went on to say before handing Beca some things. Emily wasn't able to catch what it was, her limited view obscuring it. Her best guess were folders with a bunch of important papers, or perhaps a tablet with electronic documents ready for signing?

"Things are mostly set," Theo updated Beca. "We have an appointment with Michaelson on the fifth for the legal stuff of the acquisition. Gus is busy with checking out real estate for the relocation. I'm mostly handling the assets, well, talents, RH has. Gotta say, that meeting for a collaboration ended up being rather serendipitous, huh? I'm also working on getting Dusk to be our first official signing since the EP you're producing for them isn't tied to your current label. Investors are also handled for the moment. Do you have a date when you'd want to meet? I think that's really the only pressing thing we have to decide on."

"After we meet with Michaelson? Any day after that sounds good," Beca replied, handing Theo's stuff back. "How's the – "

"Anything related to Dusk's debut is going well. I've got my assistants on it," Rhian reported. "We need to hype up that first single big time to drum up interest for the band. Damage control on your absence from the Halloween Bash has mostly been handled. Your fans are all rallying behind the Bellas. I've got Eric combing through various SMs every day to make sure that nothing ill is being said about your friends. Taylor's publicist as well as Jordan's and a few others wanted to see if they could set something up, like showing up during a Bellas' practice or behind the stage for the big event to drop by and say hi. Interest in acapella is skyrocketing thanks to your involvement with the contest. It's like the new in-thing to talk about with the celebs. Everyone wants to be part of it. I'm thinking BTS photos during finals should be good. Also minimizes the interruptions with your practice. We have busy months ahead, what with your decision."

 _Relocation? Acquisition? Decision?_ Emily asked herself. _What are they talking about?_

Theo once again jumped in after that "Speaking of, I've got that single you've been working on with Emily set for release on Valentine's week. Since that's your first single coming out of your last album with the label, do you want to make the announcement then, or after the finals in March?"

"What do you think?" Beca asked. Emily wasn't sure if the question was for Theo or Rhian, both taking a moment of silence before responding.

In the end it was Rhian who spoke. "That depends on the narrative you want. We still have a lot of things to square away, and I don't think we'd have everything settled by Feb. We can use whatever momentum you get during the Finals to make the announcement, start teasing that some big changes are coming when the single is released, that kind of stuff. Of course, there's also one other thing…"

"We're not dragging _her_ into this," Beca immediately responded with a firm tone. "Besides, we don't even know… I… Work is work. What I decide with my career has nothing to do with how I feel for _her._ "

"Sure, Beca, that's why you're uprooting your life here," Rhian deadpanned. "People are going to talk. FYI, people are actually already talking. Some of the kids from that acapella team, Final Frequency was it? They managed to snag a pic of you holding hands backstage. Not to mention, nosy neighbors... It's not on any mainstream platforms, but they are wondering why you behave differently around a certain redhead."

"It's none of their business," Beca dismissed.

But Rhian didn't drop the topic. "Maybe so, but that doesn't stop them from talking. I know you already said what you wanted to do, should things progress… Beca, we're with you, but I just want to make sure that you are, you know, sure. Once things get out, whether you want to or not, you're gonna be dragging Chloe Beale into the spotlight with you."

"I'm well aware," Beca groaned. "Look, I don't want to get ahead of myself, and I know it's not going to be easy, but I… I'm not just going to throw Chloe to the wolves. Besides, she's one of the strongest people I know, and she's not gonna be alone. I won't let her be."

"I'm just saying…" Rhian reasoned.

"I've always been a private person, Rhian, and for the most part, I still will be. But I'm not going to hide who I am, or who I want to be with."

"I know, Beca," Rhian replied. "But just know that there are options. You're taking a huge risk here, gambling your career trajectory even with all the moves you've been making to safeguard your future. Look, there are other people in the same position as you who've taken the other option. You can still be happy that way."

"No, I won't. That's not happy, that's living a double life," Beca argued.

"It worked for others," Rhian doubled down.

"Not for me," Beca insisted. "I want to be with Chloe. And I… I think she might just want to take the risk with me… maybe… I just… I've wasted so many years running away from my feelings, ignoring it, and I… Every day, I'm reminded of what I had, what I could have, if I'm just brave enough to take it. I don't want anything less."

"This girl really better be worth it, Mitchell," Rhian grumbled, "because you're _it_. You've got _it_."

"She is," was Beca's soft reply. "And you're wrong, by the way. In what you believe…"

"I believe in you, Beca," Rhian said. There was a shift in her tone, it sounded less formal and more casual. Softer even. Rhian's hard, cold business façade fading away. "God knows you might be the exception… I've just seen how this thing goes so many times now. You're the real thing, you know? Absolute magic with everything you touch. I don't want you to fade into the background and risk what you've built for one girl."

"Thanks," Beca mumbled before clearing her throat. "But see, that's what I meant. That's where you're wrong. Rhian, you need to know, I won't have all of this to risk if it wasn't for her."

Emily had to stop herself from squealing, covering her mouth with both hands. She's heard too much, but she wasn't going to walk away now.

"It all started with the Bellas," Beca went on to say, "And the Bellas started with Chloe. She saw me, the real me, before I could even find myself."

Rhian chuckled. "Then I better get started, because I definitely have my work cut out for me."

"She'd have to choose me first," Beca then said. Emily wanted to jump out of where she was hiding and yell that Chloe already clearly had because it was painfully obvious that she loved Beca too. But Emily decided to restrain herself from doing just that. For one thing, she didn't want to have to explain what she was doing hiding - and eavesdropping - in the first place.

Thankfully, Theo was there to express what Emily wanted to say. "I have a feeling she's already chosen you," he said, rather amused.

"Maybe, but with everything…" Beca started to say, sounding uncertain.

"Beca, it's time to go big or go home here," Theo went on to say. "You've got us cheering you on, and I'm pretty sure you also have a feisty group of gals wanting the same thing for you and Chloe. Listen to your heart! While you're at it, ignore this one's pessimism," he added. From what Emily could make out, Theo was pointing to Rhian.

"Uh, no, still very much listen to me, Beca. I'll dial down the pessimism, but seriously, listen. I'll be the one facing the wolves on your behalf, after all," Rhian then jumped in and Beca laughed.

Even Emily gave out a chuckle herself.

"Wait, what was that?" Theo asked, possibly having heard Emily. She took that as her cue and crawled away from where she was hiding and back inside Beca's retreat. Emily was thankful she had left the glass door open.

Her heart was pounding, scared she had been discovered, but Emily couldn't stop smiling.

From what she's gotten from eavesdropping, it was clear that Beca loved Chloe. She was well aware of her feelings.

But most importantly, she was ready to fight for her.

* * *

Beca was tired.

She's had very little sleep the night before. She had much to talk to Theo and Rhian about. They eventually went inside and played a few rounds of _Smash Ultimate_ before Beca actually crashed and fell asleep at around two in the morning. The Bellas all woke up around six, with practice set at seven in the morning, and found Beca curled up in her favorite armchair, Theo knocked out in one half of the sectional, and Rhian dozing off on the other side. Gus took care of them, Beca begrudgingly going back to her room to get ready for the day. She shrugged the confused looks on her friends' faces.

After copious amounts of caffeine consumed, and enough complaints from Amy about not being invited and sent home, Beca provided her friends with the explanation of what happened during the early hours of morning. Emily jumped in, to Beca's surprise, to say that it was probably business stuff, before dialing back her explanations, saying it's just her best guest.

Practice went smoothly that day. Their impromptu bonding activity from the day before seemed to have made a good deal of difference. Everyone had their priorities aligned, and everyone was focused on their goal. To win the finals. There was only one thing left for Beca to address.

The tension with Chloe had dispersed, but there was a new kind of awkwardness going on between them. One that the Bellas definitely picked up. Thanks to Beca's talk with Amy and Stacie the night before, she was now painfully aware of the Bellas reactions to those little interactions. How Beca got away unscathed without any teasing from the two during practice was beyond her, but she simply chucked it up to Amy and Stacie promising that the Bellas would keep the interruptions to a minimum.

Although she does recall Amy breaking a vase. The scuttling sound of people running away from the stairs the night before, ruining a perfectly good moment between her and Chloe, suggested the Bellas were at least eavesdropping too, making Beca unsure how much she could trust Amy and Stacie about the interruptions.

It was late in the afternoon when they got back. The Bellas were all just as tired as Beca was and went their separate ways when they got back to her place. No one was keen on volunteering for kitchen duties, so Gus called Beca's personal chef to whip something up for the girls.

Beca took a quick shower, made some tea, grabbed her guitar, and resumed her place by the fire pit. The Bellas were all scattered in the house. Aubrey and Stacie were spending time with Bella in the retreat, showing her how to play the piano. Amy was hanging out with Jessica, Ashley, and Cynthia Rose in the living room. Flo took a nap, from what Beca heard, while Emily was busy talking to Benji on FaceTime in the kitchen and was on her way back up when Beca went down. Both Chloe and Lilly had also disappeared into their own rooms.

With most of what Beca needed to wrap up over the holidays already done, Beca suddenly found herself some free time. She started absent-mindedly strumming a few chords on her guitar before settling on playing the same song she was singing the night before, essentially picking up where she left off. It was the least she could do to clear her mind.

Last night, she had very nearly kissed Chloe. And if Beca would allow herself to admit, Chloe looked like she was going to kiss her too. The brief moment, one that had brought Beca a strange sensation of relief, kept replaying in her mind. She couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if they weren't interrupted.

If she had actually kissed Chloe, or if they had the perfect moment to talk.

Just the mere thought of it, of the possibilities that it could open up and lead to, was enough to set the butterflies free inside of Beca, sending shivers down her spine.

She was nervous. But in a good way.

She wasn't afraid anymore.

 _Your eyes, your look_ _  
__Your skin, your love_ _  
__It gets too much_ _  
__And I don't know if I'll be good enough_

All she could think about now was Chloe, kissing her, and telling her about the truth of what she felt for her.

Beca was ready to embrace the moment. Face the music, as they say.

There were still so many things to consider and think about, but Beca knew with all certainty, nothing could change the way she felt for Chloe. That's why she was planning to ask Chloe for some time to talk after dinner. The Bellas would have a busy day tomorrow. They leave on the second, which gave them only two more days of practice. Then there was the fact that it was New Year's Eve tomorrow and they had preparations to make after practice so they could have their own personal celebration. The only reason Beca hasn't jumped on the quiet time they had now was because she wanted to give Chloe some time to rest and breathe. Beca also knew she needed the time to build her confidence too. She wasn't going to let herself find a reason to back out.

 _If I had five more words, I'd say "I wish you were mine"_ _  
__But it's these four letters that hold me back every time_ _  
__It might take three more drinks, I'll tell you what's on my mind_ _  
__But if I'm too late, my heart breaks for this one thing_ _  
__You and I_

To her own surprise, the universe decided for her. No more waiting.

Beca caught onto Chloe's presence by the glass door as she finished the song, a shy smile on her face. She took a deep breath, and urged her to come join her around the fire pit while she set her guitar aside.

There was no turning back now.

* * *

Chloe felt nervous. She hated it. She was never the nervous type. She was always used to getting what she wanted, when she wanted it. But it's always been different with Beca. She never just simply piqued her interest. She wasn't just some passing fancy, or crush. Chloe wasn't just playing a game either. With Beca, it always felt like she was in pursuit of something more.

With their busy day all but done, and after some time of clarity and hyping herself up to get some time alone with Beca and talk, Chloe found Beca by the fire pit by herself with nothing but a song for company. Somehow, it felt so typically Beca.

Conversations of the past swirled in her head. There may be a better time later on to talk with Beca, but at the very least she wanted to address a few things. The fact remained that Chloe was seconds away from feeling Beca's lips against her own last night, and if the awkward and polite exchanges they had over practice were any indication of where Beca's head was, then Chloe knew they had to talk about it. She can't let that affect the Bellas pursuit of victory.

She knew they had to talk, and knowing how crazy Beca's schedule can be, Chloe was going to actively pursue for some moment to be alone with her. Now seemed as good a time as any.

That didn't mean she wasn't scared, no. She was terrified. It was as if Chloe was teetering at the edge of the cliff, waiting for that moment she could finally jump. Terrified if she'd hit the cool water beneath or the ragged edges of the stony shores.

Nevertheless, Chloe sucked it up. She took a deep breath to calm herself, lingering by the glass door that led out to the pool, before she approached Beca. In the end, Beca noticed her first and invited her to join her.

"You're not gonna be busy in the next couple of minutes are you?" Chloe started to say, giving out a nervous chuckle before she sat down on the seat next to her.

Beca shook her head. "I have nothing else for the day, and if anyone on my team knows what good for them, then they shouldn't be walking in to bother me right now. I don't think dinner's gonna be finished for at least an hour more either."

"Good," Chloe replied, nodding along. She looked away, casting her eyes at the flames dancing around in the pit, searching for words about how she wanted to open this conversation with Beca. She could feel Beca's eyes on her, expecting her to say something more.

In the end, they ended up speaking at the same time, "So, about last night."

Beca chuckled and Chloe shook her head, the two of them offering to let the other speak first.

It was Beca who eventually voiced out her thoughts first, "I think we need to talk."

"Yeah," Chloe replied almost breathlessly, stealing a glance at Beca, "Yeah, I think we do," she repeated softly.

Beca bit her lip and briefly looked away. "I… Um… why is this so much harder than it should be?" she asked, letting out a nervous laugh. Chloe smiled. She wished she knew the answer to Beca's question but Chloe didn't need to provide her best educated guess to Beca. "I've been thinking a lot the past couple of years," Beca went on to say, her sight fixed on the flames in the fire pit before turning her attention to Chloe. "A good chunk of that being about you."

"What about me?" The question was the only thing Chloe could say in return. The plan was to open a conversation with Beca, but in the end it was Beca opening the conversation with her.

Beca smirked a little. "I think you know," she mumbled shyly before taking a deep breath and turning her full attention to Chloe. Her fingers started tapping rapidly on the arm rest of her chair, dispelling nervous energy as bets she could. But this time Beca dared not look away, so what else could Chloe do but meet her gaze head on.

"Look, Chlo, I… Nothing here, not the success or the fame or anything, not a single thing can make me happy the way you do. I was the idiot who realized way too slowly, for a while there I thought it was actually a little too late."

"You weren't," Chloe replied. She reached out for Beca's hands, interlacing her fingers with them before resting them on the armrest. "To be fair, I was also an idiot for being too afraid to say anything. We had moments in the past where I wanted to, I guess, get a feel for what you'd think about things, but I never seemed to have the courage to push myself to just take the leap."

Beca smiled meekly. "Well, I'm telling you now that I very much would like to take that leap with you, cross all the lines, even tangle them up, if that's still something you'd want, because Chloe… Chlo, nothing could even come close to how I feel about you, and I don't want to lose you again."

Chloe felt like she was dreaming. She very much wanted to pinch herself to make sure that she was indeed awake, hearing Beca say all the things that she's always wanted her to say. "You won't," she softly said. "But Beca…"

"Oh, no," Beca replied, pulling away from Chloe a sec, shaking her head. "Don't tell me there's someone else, because that's going to wreak me, Chlo. Just lie, and come up with something else, please."'

"I wasn't going to say that, you dummy," Chloe replied with a chuckle.

"Then what's the 'but' for?" Beca asked sounding rather cautious.

Chloe gave a Beca an understanding look. "Beca, I… The same reason I let you go," Chloe settled on saying. "I don't want to be the person who holds you back. You've got a lot going on, and I… I just don't see how I fit. Because Beca, what about your image? Your career? How will being with me affect all of that? How about your commitments? All the pressure on you? The expectations? I'll always be here for you Beca, I'm just not sure if I can handle it, you know? You might have to keep me a secret, or even lie about me. I don't know if I'll be okay with that. Not to mention, if we try and start something now, what happens? What if things fall apart so soon? I don't want things between us to affect what we have going with the Bellas or our chances of winning in the contest. And what about after? When you don't have a reason to stay in touch again. Okay, say we do get together, what happens when I don't have a reason to hold your attention, again? When you get swamped with work or if we drift apart? There's just so many things to consider, Beca," Chloe rambled on. "I'm scared you'd forget me, or leave me behind, and if I'm nothing but a secret, I'm afraid it would make things all the more easy."

"I won't… Chloe, I would never do that to you," Beca quickly replied, wanting to reassure her.

"Yeah, but if you don't, you'd be risking a lot? Right?" was Chloe's rebuttal. "I want to be with you, Beca. For so long now. But I don't think having whatever morsel of affection you can spare me or throw my way would ever be enough for me, and I don't want to compete with your dream," Chloe admitted, turning her attention away from Beca's stormy blue eyes and staring off into the view of the Hollywood Hills that the poolside offered. She couldn't take the confused and conflicted expression on Beca's face right then.

Chloe wanted to be honest, lay all her cards down on the table.

She wanted to be with Beca, but not with all the restrictive terms and conditions her life now would demand of her. But she doesn't want Beca to have to choose either, between her and the success she's found. Chloe didn't have it in her to even ask, no matter how much she loved Beca.

Or perhaps, that was the very reason why.

Chloe loved her so much she was willing to let her go again. It would be enough for her to know that Beca felt the same way too.

"But you are my dream," Beca said resolutely, eyes only set on Chloe. "And I want you too, Chlo. All of you."

Chloe felt Beca reach out and tilt her head towards her. Beca adjusted her position on her chair so that she was fully facing Chloe now, tucking loose strands of Chloe's hair behind her ears before both her hands cupped her cheeks. Chloe thought for a second that Beca was going to kiss her, what with her eyes flickering back and forth between staring at Chloe's eyes and Chloe's lips, but she didn't. Beca restrained herself and settled on gazing directly into Chloe's eyes.

She wasn't going to lie, Chloe felt disappointed about that.

"I don't know what the future's going to bring, Chlo. To be honest, I'm absolutely terrified myself, but I'd rather be scared and be with you than not be with you at all. Yeah? Because I've let you slip away once already. I've let my fear get the best of me," Beca said. "But I'm going to fight for this, Chloe. I know there's a lot going on right now, and I admit I'm getting pulled in different directions at the moment with work and all, but that's all for this. For us. All so I can be with you," she insisted before letting Chloe go.

"I want you Chloe," Beca repeated before she looked around, waving her hands as if she was showing Chloe the view, her property, everything. "More than all of this," she added before turning her attention back to her, almost looking teary eyed. "I don't want to be a part of a world that won't let me be with you. I've already lived in it without you by my side for five years, so I know what I'm talking about, you can be sure of that."

Chloe was speechless. She was feeling overwhelmed. All that was missing was that four letter word, the one that Chloe was so carefully guarding in her heart, afraid that if she said it too soon, then this moment she had with Beca, the promises, the hopes and dreams of a future together, would just crumble away.

"But if you don't want that," Beca went on to say, crestfallen.

"I do, Beca," Chloe replied. "But like I said, we both have a lot of things going on, decisions to make… I-I wanted to be clear about how I felt, with everything that's happened the past few days, and with how you were acting during Thanksgiving, and I… I want to focus on the finals first, if you wouldn't mind."

Beca nodded. "I'll give you all the space and time you need, Chlo."

Chloe smiled. "We're putting a pin on things," she said. "After the finals, after kicking DSM back to the curb, I think we should have the clarity we need by then. You know? Before building hopes and dreams, I want to be sure we want the same thing. I mean, how will that future even look like? I do have a job that I like back in Atlanta, friends I care about too. I don't even know how I'll adjust to living here and sharing a life with you. It's a lot of things to process, Beca. A lot of things to consider and talk about."

Beca nodded once more, turning her attention to the view of the hills. "I get it, Chlo. Seriously, I can wait. We'll keep talking too," she said with a light smile. "Besides, you're right about me having a lot on my plate right now. I'm hoping all of that would become more manageable again after all the craziness that some of my decisions brought settle down. It's a work in progress, but if what you're worried about is the lack of my work-life balance, I'm working on it. Even I'm a bit too tired of constantly not having that balance in my life."

"Well, if there is anything I can help you with," Chloe then offered.

"There is one thing," Beca replied before sporting her trademark smirk. "I was wondering if you know any place in Atlanta with as good of a view as the one I have here."

Chloe looked at Beca curiously. "What are you plotting?" she asked.

But Beca simply shrugged, before suggesting to Chloe that they go check on the Bellas. "I've learned recently that they have somewhat of an investment in the affairs of our lives, and with the Bellas being Bellas, I figured they might end up breaking more of my décor with the eavesdropping if we don't make sure they're behaving properly."

Chloe laughed. It wasn't hard to figure out what Beca was implying.

Her talk with Beca had been fruitful, even with all of the uncertainties the future still holds for them.

But the very least, she got one thing straight.

Chloe had feelings for Beca, and Beca felt the same way for her too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can someone please check if Chloe's still alive and not a puddle of feels? Thanks.
> 
> I hope you guys are also doing okay. But would you look at it, they had a conversation that wasn't interrupted at all. That's what you call progress.
> 
> Admit it, you all thought I was going to cut it short again, didn't you? XD
> 
> Song featured in the chapter is called Four Letters (by Lawson). I really love the song and I thought it would be perfect here. It's also already included in the playlist!
> 
> www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbWZQ6nwYXxFjX9z3vft3leEz7dN9K_5
> 
> The next chapter is probably my favorite chapter so far in this fic and I'm going to keep hyping it up because, well, reasons... But it will be up tomorrow!


	20. What If We were Lovers?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With one more day of practice ahead of them, the Bellas take some time to take a break and prepare for their own humble New Year's Eve celebrations. In the midst of it all, Beca and Chloe try to find have a few quiet moments between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're welcome.

Beca was standing in her kitchen, chatting away with Gus and Theo. Practice had ended early that day, what with it being New Year's Eve. The Bellas had their work cut out for them in preparation for their simple celebration. It was going to be an exclusive and private event. The only guests being the Bellas themselves, Theo, Gus, Rob, and even Rhian, who Beca had encouraged to be friendlier towards the rest of the girls. Beca considered extending the invite to Bumper, but it was Amy herself who suggested that he might just get under Aubrey's skin again, what with the looming showdown against DSM and the rest of the finalists. "We'll just celebrate on our own later," Amy said with a wink to drive the point home.

At the moment, Theo and Gus were helping Beca decide what she wanted for food, if they should reach out to caterer friend last minute or just help out her personal chef. Beca wanted something simple, a little less pretentious and more familial.

The rest of the Bellas were preparing decorations. It wasn't that hard to clear away the Christmas stuff since the only decoration Beca had up for the holiday was a small Christmas tree in a glass jar placed in the middle of the coffee table. She wasn't exactly big on the holiday spirit, and only ever celebrated it with the Bellas because Chloe loved the holidays. With the uneasiness between them thanks to the mishap during Thanksgiving, Beca doubled down on her efforts of not exactly celebrating Christmas.

But things change, and dare she say that things have changed for the better?

_If we could leave it all behind  
Tell me where we'd go  
Coz anywhere with you feels right  
As long as we're alone_

The music played throughout the speakers that Beca had set-up around the house. Stacie volunteered to be in charge of music while they set things up, promising Beca she could take charge later on during the actual party. "At the very least, let me set the mood a little. We're supposed to be excited for the New Year," she remembered Stacie telling her earlier.

Beca was starting to think she was planning to set the mood things other than welcoming 2023.

To no one's surprise, Aubrey was the one directing the Bellas' efforts of sprucing up Beca's living room for their private party. Lilly, Amy, and Cynthia Rose were talking with Rob about fireworks and where they could safely set some off later in the evening. Stacie was asking Bella what she thought of the banners they were putting up to bring in the New Year, while Jessica and Ashley were currently in charge of putting up said banners. Flo, Emily, and Chloe were in charge of the balloons that the Bellas wanted to scatter around the house. Chloe looked happier, more relaxed than she had been since they arrived for their holiday boot camp. Things were starting to fall back to place.

Well, no. Not quite. Beca smiled, remembering the talk she had with Chloe the other day, feeling all the more hopeful for what tomorrow will bring for them.

_I see where I'm going girl  
Looking in your eyes  
We don't need cheap alcohol  
To get us through tonight_

Beca heard Theo chuckle, gaining her attention once more. He glanced over where Chloe was helping Emily tie up the balloons, before returning his attention to Beca.

"Stare harder and she'll melt, Beca," Theo said, rather amused.

Beca simply shook her head, and tried to focus on the actual topic at hand, still stealing glances at Chloe whenever she could.

_Your hand in my hand  
We won't change our minds_

They'd have to part again after the holidays were over. But Beca reminded herself, that was only temporary. All part of their journey to find their way to a place where they could be together.

* * *

"Chlo, if you stare harder, I'm sure Mitchell will combust," she heard Aubrey say in a low enough tone for only her to hear.

"Huh?" was the only thing that Chloe could come up with in response. Aubrey snorted as she grabbed the suddenly deflated balloon in Chloe's hand.

"So you're really not going to tell me what you two talked about yesterday?" Aubrey then asked, deciding to help her best friend with the balloons to speed up the process. "Because seriously, Chlo, you've been staring longingly at Beca all day."

"No, I'm not," Chloe lied. She was, indeed, stealing glances at Beca the whole day. In her defense, she wasn't the only one doing that. She's caught Beca doing the same thing quite a few times now. The last time being literally a minute ago, with Beca supposedly talking to Gus and Theo in the kitchen. "I think I'd rather keep that between us for now," Chloe replied, a light blush creeping on her cheeks.

Aubrey chuckled and shook her head. "Well, judging from your reaction, I'm guessing it's all good."

Chloe sighed. It's not that Aubrey was wrong, but her comment reminded Chloe of everything else that they talked about. Chloe had this light fluttering feeling in her chest every time she remembered Beca telling her that she wanted to be with her too, admitting to what she felt about Chloe. The only thing missing was an actual declaration of love.

And oh, how Chloe waited for that moment for what was essentially an entire decade.

But doubt still crept in, every now and then. Along with trepidation and uncertainty, not fully allowing Chloe to bask in the moment. Being with Beca wasn't as simple as it could have been before. It came with a lot of things to consider.

"What's on you're mind?" Aubrey then asked, setting aside the third balloon she had inflated.

"A lot of things," Chloe replied. "Don't worry, if I need my best friend, you'll know, Bree. I'm just really taking things in at the moment. Wrapping my head around everything – how things stand and what could be."

Aubrey placed a hand around Chloe and gave her a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder. "I'm sure you'll figure out the finer details later, and whatever it is that you're worried about will get resolved. I have a feeling you've got a lot of decisions to make, but for today at least, live in the moment. We leave the day after tomorrow," she went on to say, nodding over to Beca who was now currently talking to someone on the phone, signaling things for Gus to note. "What's up with you staying with Emily and Lilly last night?"

Chloe quirked an eyebrow at Aubrey. She slept on one of the twin beds in Emily and Lilly's room, Bella with her, so that Aubrey and Stacie could have some time alone last night. It was nothing new. That was sort of their arrangement for things back when Chloe lived in the same apartment as they did. She did feel bad for Emily and Lilly having to share the same bed for their sake after Stacie strongly suggested they take that sleeping arrangement after Emily offered the option.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "You could have stayed with Beca, what with the air being cleared between the two of you and all."

"With Stacie's daughter in between us?" Chloe asked, amused.

"That should keep things rated G, right?" Aubrey replied. "If you're worried you'd be tempted in doing something more when you're not all cleared with what you want with Beca. I'm assuming that's the case because you haven't exactly started making out with her just yet."

Chloe elbowed Aubrey with that comment, but her best friend thankfully took it light-heartedly. "Just admit you want some alone time with Stacie tonight as well. Don't drag whatever it is between me and Beca into your own love affair."

"Please then?" Aubrey replied, easing up on the teasing for a little bit. "I'm just saying, I'm sure Mitchell would like to spend as much one-on-one time with you as possible."

"That wouldn't exactly be one-on-one, Bree," Chloe remarked. Although, that was probably for the better as well. "Okay, fine," she relented. Chloe did want to spend more time with Beca before they leave.

Aubrey let Chloe go after that and the two returned to their tasks. Grabbing another balloon, Chloe once again stole a glance of Beca, catching the DJ starring back at her with a smile on her face before returning her attention to Theo who was asking her something.

Chloe chuckled. She just agreed to babysitting duties tonight for both herself and Beca, with a promise that they'd get a chance to talk again – about anything and everything else other than them – and just spend time with each other. That would be at least better than whatever it was they were doing right now.

* * *

The party was in full swing. The Bellas all dressed for the occasion. Jessica and Ashley decided to cut the music and insisted that in to one of the programs that counted down to midnight. They watched recaps of how New York welcomed 2023, and clips of how other big cities around the world rung in the New Year.

There were only a few minutes left. Amy called Bumper, keeping him ready on the phone so they could celebrate together. Bumper was whining a little, wanting Amy to come home soon, and Amy not-so-gently reminded him that it was pitches before bros. Emily was on FaceTime with Benji as well. Cynthia Rose already spoke to her wife a few hours ago, when she welcomed the New Year with her family on the east coast.

Jessica settled on one of the programs that had one of the new upcoming artists she was following to perform before the countdown. "I'm surprised you're not busy tonight, Beca. I would have thought you would have been booked."

"She cancelled it," Theo replied. He was on the sectional, keeping Rhian's company. Bella had fallen asleep three hours ago, after they watched checked on the coverage in New York, and she just happened to use Rhian's lap as her headrest. Beca found it all too amusing. Rhian wasn't good with children, at least that's what she said herself. She looked stiff, and uncomfortable, but she didn't want to disturb Stacie's daughter at all, so she let things be.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Ashley asked surprised.

"Beca was supposed to be in Times Square," Gus provided, joining the Bellas after grabbing a drink for himself and for Flo. The two of them seemed to be hitting it off.

"Wait, you gave up a Time Square performance? Why? Are you insane, Beca, that would have been huge," Stacie commented.

"And miss this?" Beca threw back. "Those parties aren't as amazing as you think, Stace. Besides, nothing beats a party with the Bellas."

"Beca, you didn't have to," Chloe said. Beca had to compose herself for a moment before she end up saying something in front of the Bellas she would regret. Something cheesy, perhaps, but true when it comes to Chloe.

"I know," she replied. "But I wanted to be with all of you here. Seriously. You're all my family, and I've missed having moments like this, right here, the last couple of years. So for once, I'd like to celebrate with my favorite nerds and just be myself for the night. You have no idea how exhausting it is to deal with everything that's part of those events."

The Bellas were left speechless. Even Amy looked like she was about to get emotional, her features crinkling up in a strange way that made Beca brace for the waterworks. She didn't get to see it though, her phone ringing to interrupt the moment.

Beca excused herself, heading upstairs and out to the terrace to have some privacy for the call, her mom checking and calling to greet her a happy New Year. They talked for a while, catching up, and as soon as they hung up, Beca's dad was already ringing her up for the same reason.

Beca decided to stay for a while after the calls, just enjoying the view before her. She's had quite a ride the past couple of years. Sure, the future that lies ahead of her had many uncertainties, and even up to a couple of days ago, all she could feel were the knots of trepidation in her stomach. All that was gone now. As if she'd learn to let all of the terror and panic go. All she felt now was excitement, and hope, for the promise of bright days spent with the woman she loved.

"Hey," she heard Chloe say, walking out into the terrace to join her. Beca smiled, watching her walk towards where she stood. Chloe rested both her hands on the railings, her eyes fixed on the view before them. "You're not suddenly imaging you're in New York now, are you?"

"There's no place I'd rather be now than here with you," was Beca's response. She felt rather triumphant at seeing that it was all it took to see Chloe's mega-watt smile grace her face once more.

"Who was that, on the phone?" Chloe asked, turning to Beca.

"The 'rents," she replied with a shrug. "Well, my mom first, and then my dad and Sheila."

"How are they?"

"Same old," Beca answered before changing the topic. "I'm glad you decided to join me, Chlo. I was starting to think you're avoiding me."

"Beca, we're in your house, I'm pretty sure I can't avoid you here," was Chloe's response.

"You know what I mean," Beca remarked. "After we talked yesterday…"

"I'm not avoiding you," Chloe said, not letting Beca finish her thought. "I just had to deal with Bree and Stace after dinner. Bella and I ended up moving into Emily and Lilly's room for the night. They've been wanting some alone time. Actually, about that…"

"Yeah, Stacie asked me the same. I agreed," Beca finished for her. "I mean, if you're okay with that. I never lied to you Chloe, sleeping and waking up without you right next to me just doesn't feel right."

"Okay, so it's fine if I bunked with you for tonight then? With Bella? For Aubrey and Stacie's sake?"

Beca nodded. She couldn't help but laugh at Chloe bringing up the two. "Although I would honestly prefer you moving back in my room because you just missed me again."

"Beca, I'll always be missing you when you're not by my side," Chloe remarked before looking back inside, the Bellas started to sound more rowdy. "We should head back, the countdown's starting soon and the Bellas are gonna start wondering what we're up to."

Beca once again gave a nod in agreement. But as she watched Chloe turn around and walk towards the opened glass door, Beca had a thought. There was one thing she's always wanted to know, one thing she had to restrain herself from finding out during their talk the day before.

She wanted to know how it would feel to…

Beca chuckled. Just the thought of it made her feel nervous.

But the sweet promise of that dream, that idea that popped into her head, had won her over.

"Chloe, wait," she called back. Chloe obliged, stopping on her tracks. Beca's heart was pounding against her chest, watching Chloe turn around to face her once again, a question forming in her eyes. She couldn't help but smile at just how breathtakingly beautiful Chloe was underneath the moonlight.

Beca's hands felt clammy, the drumming of heart was all that she could hear. But she didn't let that stop her. She took one step forward, and then another, picking up her pace as she closed the distance between herself and Chloe, feeling a great sense of urgency in her actions. The want, the need to know how Chloe's lips felt like against her own taking over.

For a brief second, Beca forgot all her fears. Nervousness turned into excitement as she pulled Chloe close. One hand wrapped around her neck, the other on her waist, her lips crashing against Chloe for a kiss. Slow, sweet, and gentle at first, sending electricity running down her spine as their lips brushed against each other for the first time, before desire completely took over. She felt Chloe cup her face, her thumb grazing against her cheeks as their kiss deepened, and all that Beca could feel, and think, and need was Chloe.

Beca could hear fireworks set off in the distance. But she couldn't pull away, not for one second, to watch the bright colors fill the night sky. Her only thought, her only want, was Chloe Beale.

Chloe's hands trailed down Beca's own, before finding their way down her waist, up the small of her back, and pulling Beca impossibly closer. Beca couldn't help but smile through the kiss. That was all she needed to confirm that yesterday was not a dream. That she didn't just imagine Chloe telling her that she wanted to be with her.

Beca felt Chloe smiling against her lips. She pulled away, resting her forehead against Chloe's, the two of them giggling like a bunch of teenagers. Beca herself felt like she was still buzzing with joy, her eyes staring deep into Chloe's own as she tried to recompose herself.

The smile on her face turns into a confident smirk. Not wanting the Bellas to find them that way, Beca found the strength she needed to tear herself away from Chloe. She cleared her throat and took a step back.

"That should hold me off for a while," she mumbled, more to herself, and awkwardly marched past Chloe into the retreat.

She paused for a minute after reaching the stairwell. Below, Beca could hear the Bellas reach "one," the countdown reminding her of the moment she shared with Chloe on the terrace. Her fingers grazed over her lips, Beca still smiling like an idiot. She turned to look back at Chloe, half expecting her to be only a few steps behind. To Beca's surprise, Chloe was still out on the terrace, her back leaning against one of the wall-to-ceiling glass panes, hands covering her mouth.

Beca chuckled.

She can't believe she just kissed Chloe Beale, and that Chloe kissed her back.

For once in her life, Beca felt herself filled with a kind of happiness that she's never quite known before.

* * *

Chloe couldn't sleep.

With their last day of practice set the next morning, the Bellas all tried to turn in an hour after they rung in the New Year. Amy went back home to Bumper, telling Aubrey she can't promise she won't have a wild night ahead so she might be tired tomorrow morning. Before Aubrey could even complain or reprimand Amy, Stacie answered for her that the two of them couldn't promise the same thing either, which prompted the all-around teasing from the Bellas.

Chloe was incredibly thankful for that. At the very least, the attention wasn't on either her or Beca, the two of them wearing goofy smiles on their faces, constantly blushing whenever they caught each other staring. Stacie and Aubrey apparently also kissed each other at the stroke of midnight in front of everyone, only getting the Bellas all riled up with the teasing. While Chloe was almost disappointed she didn't get to witness that moment – or for that matter, the shocked faces on the Bellas – she still couldn't help but smile at the memory of a kiss she herself experienced.

And it was that same kiss that was keeping her awake.

As she promised Aubrey, she moved in with Beca that night with Bella, to give the two some space. Bella was currently lying between her and Beca on her bed, a sort of precious innocent little buffer between the two of them, helping Chloe restrain the feelings that Beca stirred inside of her. The very same ones that they both promised to keep talking about and sort out continuously with the coming days before they make a decision about what they want. If they want to pursue a relationship with each other, and how that would even look like.

Chloe was happy, of course she was. It felt like the things could only dream of were finally coming true. It also left her a little unsure of what to do or think about next. She's always dreamed of being with Beca, but she's never truly allowed herself to think of what a future with her would even look like. After all, with her feeble attempts in the past being ignored, Chloe was stuck on hoping to have that chance to tell Beca the truth and wish that she reciprocated her feelings. That and only that. But now, well, Chloe had endless lists of possibilities to think about. The faraway future was actually here now. She could dream beyond Beca returning her feelings, beyond the random snippets of how the two of them holding hands, what the lead up to their first kiss would be like, or running scenarios in her head of how asking her out on a proper date would be like.

They were both standing there, ready to cross the Rubicon. No return to just being friends should they choose to embark.

Chloe never thought it could feel so overwhelming when the moment came, but it did. To top it all off, they still had the contest, the craziness and unpredictability of Beca's work and lifestyle, and the fact that they currently live on opposite coasts of the country. Chloe felt like they deserved to find a moment to just slow down, breath, and process everything before starting something together. Maybe all they'll have are short conversations the next few months about it, but she wouldn't mind taking the baby steps before fully taking the plunge. She wanted very much to get things right.

Because the thing with Beca, how they felt for each other, a promise of a future together, that was the one thing Chloe was scared of losing the most. The one thing she was afraid of ruining. Especially after all the time she's waited. That's why she wanted the two of them to take the time they needed to figure things out – work, life, residence, all of it – before they commit to giving things a go.

That was the plan, at least.

But with the ghost of Beca's lips on hers, Chloe found it hard to think of anything else at the moment.

Chloe watched Beca sleep, remembering the song Stacie was blasting from the stereo earlier in the day, the music and lyrics all but playing in Chloe's head.

_Wrapped up in sheets  
Sun shining in  
Stayin' up 'til 3  
And sleeping in 'til 10_

Beca looked peacefully, relaxed, and happy. Chloe couldn't help but think ahead, to days and nights they'll get to wake up like this with each other. She also can't help but think about the nights they may get to spend apart, but Chloe didn't let the doubt creep in this time. It will always hurt to see Beca go, but she knew that in that future to come, whenever she does leave, Beca will always come back.

No nonsensical five years apart. No distance between them for years to come.

Chloe smiled to herself. She now had a new future to imagine and dream about. A new one she could look forward too.

_Wait 50 years  
And ask me then  
And I'd tell you  
I'd do it all again_

"You should get some sleep, Chlo," Beca sleepily mumbled, eyes still close.

"You should listen to your advice, Beca," she replied, keeping her voice low, not wanting to wake Bella up.

"I can't when I can feel your eyes on me," was Beca's retort. She opened her eyes, looking into Chloe's own. A smug smile forming on her lips. "And why is that, I wonder? What are you thinking about?"

"This is your fault, you know?" Chloe replied. "What happened to putting a pin on it?"

"On what?" Beca asked confused.

Chloe gave her a look. "You know what."

Realization dawned on Beca's features. "It's still under a pin, after the Bellas win, right?"

"Then why did you kiss me, Mitchell?" Chloe softly asked. She truly wanted to genuinely know. Not that she was complaining, but Chloe didn't expect Beca to kiss her any time soon.

Beca simply shrugged. "I wanted to know," she replied, stifling a yawn as she spoke.

"Know what?"

"How it felt like to kiss you," was Beca's meek response, a shy smile on her lips.

Chloe chuckled. She could feel a blush creeping up on her cheeks, but she didn't care. "So you couldn't wait?"

Beca smirked. "Does that mean you would kiss me again later?"

"I don't know, that depends."

"Depends on what?" Beca asked.

"If you know how to sweep a girl off her feet, Mitchell, I've been waiting for nearly a decade," Chloe replied.

"You didn't have to wait if you just said something. You're supposed to be the fearless one," Beca quipped.

"I tried. I don't know if you noticed, but you're incredibly dense," Chloe threw back.

Beca buried her face in her pillow for a second and groaned. "So I've been told," she begrudgingly admitted.

"Honestly," Chloe went on to say, "I was only stopping short of just blurting things out to you because I wasn't sure if you're none response to my attempts was your obliviousness or you just not being interested. I don't think you understand the magnitude of the heartbreak that awaited me if you said you didn't feel the same way."

Beca lifted her head and resumed her earlier position, her trademark smirk was back on her lips when she looked back at Chloe. "I got my work cut out for me then," she said before yawning once more, mumbling something incomprehensible. Beca reached out her hand over Bella, grabbing Chloe's. She interlaced their fingers together. Beca smiled, her eyes fluttering close. "Tomorrow, Chlo, we've got all of those days ahead for that," she managed to say before once again drifting off to sleep.

Chloe can't help but smile to herself as she closed her eyes and tried to get some sleep, her heart beating rapidly as she realized that her dreams have transformed.

_Ask me  
I'll say  
That we should run away  
What if we were lovers?_

Everything was changing.

And while she has no idea what the future would bring, all the ups and downs, she was actually excited to see it come.

_To Paris  
Or LA  
don't wanna hesitate  
Someday we'll be lovers_

Because that night she would be dreaming of a future with Beca and all the possibilities it could bring.

_What if we were lovers?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raise of hands for those who thought their kiss was going to be interrupted again... anyone? no one?
> 
> Okay, show of hands for those who don't want to admit that you thought I was going to have someone interrupt it again?
> 
> Kidding aside, we have like two short interval chapters coming up, with a dash of Bechloe and a song, maybe a run in with DSM, and then it's on with the finals!
> 
> Who's excited? Are you? I know I am! :D
> 
> Song featured in this chapter is Lovers (by Lawson). Go check it out in the playlist at the link below
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbWZQ6nwYXxFjX9z3vft3leEz7dN9K_5


	21. Just a Little Bit of You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beca and Chloe try to find some time to share quiet and simple moments together in the lead up to the finals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, here is chapter 21! Aka the chapter that actually has the Valentines fluff but gets to be uploaded an entire week (plus some days) later XD
> 
> This chapter covers January (Beca's POV), February (Chloe's POV), and the song Beca and Emily supposedly wrote.
> 
> Having said that, this one was supposed to be shorter. Like half of the length it ended up being. Anyways, enjoy!
> 
> I've got some adulting things to do the rest of this week. I'll try to add an update maybe on Thursday or Friday. If not, I'll be back Sunday. The goal is to do daily uploads for the last set of chapters. I'll keep you all posted!

Things have gotten a whole lot hectic. The Bellas had just met a week ago. With most of the Bellas in the east coast, Beca arranged for a dance studio for them in New York to rehearse in during one weekend, one planned in the middle of January, taking a day of work to maximize practice. They all met in New York Friday evening, with Beca not meeting the Bellas until Saturday morning when they started rehearsals due to her commitments. She did meet Chloe Friday night, however, with Bella included because the two of them were back to babysitting duties for that one night. The Bellas had a full day of practice both Saturday and Sunday, with a quick brush up Monday morning before parting ways that afternoon, flights all booked to head back to their respective homes.

Practice had been going smoothly, everyone focused on their goals. Each one of the Bellas have been keeping up with highly specialized routines to get themselves in tip-top shape. She barely had much chance to spend some proper time with Chloe, much to her dismay, because as usual, Aubrey kept trying to hog both their time, Emily also included, mostly to figure out the next rehearsal time, coordinate video calls for practices at least twice every week, and make any adjustments if necessary.

Beca's silver-lining from the trip was that Chloe at least stayed with her, and despite getting pulled in all kinds of different directions, they at least inhabited the same space. She would lock herself up in the bedroom of her suite if she had a quick meeting, with Chloe prepping simple meals in the humble kitchen space of the suite she had. She got to rest her head on Chloe's lap, whenever she had to go through emails on her tablet, and sleep all cuddled up next to her. Beca had to pinch herself every morning, smiling lightly to herself whenever she would wake up before Chloe did. To have her lying next to her, in her arms, was too much of a dream come true for Beca. It was the simple things in life that sometimes meant the most. And, while not ideal, simply sharing the same space with Chloe, even when they were going about their own routines, was a breath of fresh air for Beca. Especially with the weight of her responsibilities, the anxiety she was starting to feel with some of the bold moves she's been making behind the scenes, and how tiring the repetitive cycle of her world could get sometimes. Music wasn't the only thing Beca had as a safe haven anymore. She now also had Chloe.

It was the last week of January. Beca crashed face first in her bed fully exhausted from the day she's had. She was keeping tabs on too many things for her liking that it's gotten to a point that she's been dreaming of getting busy and actively crossing out each item on her to-do list. She buried her face in her pillows, remembering of the last night Chloe spent next to her in her own bed. Sadly, Bella was still lying in between them because apparently Stacie and Aubrey just couldn't keep their hands off each other. Truthfully, Beca didn't mind it so much. It made her think of her own future with Chloe. Of a peaceful – well, maybe less hectic at the minimum – life, a dog sleeping at the foot of their bed in their future home, and maybe a kid or two somewhere down the line, sleeping in between them once in a while. Like when there's a thunderstorm outside, or when it's Christmas and they're all too excited to get some shut-eye so Chloe picks her favorite holiday movies and they watch it, all huddled up, from her laptop until they all fall asleep.

Beca chuckled. All she could ever dream about before was reaching the pinnacle of success for what her heart had set out to do. Now, all she could dream about was having a life together with Chloe. Funny how things change. No, evolve. Beca thought that her dreams had come true on that stage during the USO tour. She was wrong. The best one was yet to become her reality.

Remembering that Chloe had texted her earlier that day, Beca grabbed her phone and finally responded. She's still bad with the texting sometimes, but Beca's stepped up her game too. Sure, she can't always respond, but when she does, Beca goes an extra step. She had the time zone for Atlanta programmed on her phone so she could always check what time it is over where Chloe was, no matter where she was in the world. She'd shoot a quick reply whenever she could to Chloe's messages, and if Chloe was still awake, then Beca would call and they would have a video chat.

This time around, Beca settled for a simple message, for Chloe to have sweet dreams, and a promise to call earlier in the morning. Beca even setting up an alarm to make sure she wakes up around the time that Chloe does.

To her surprise, Chloe replied. Not with a message, but with a video call. Beca decided to answer the call on her laptop, setting it on her lap as she got comfortable. "You should be asleep," she said, right off the bat as she saw Chloe's face appear on the screen. The light on her bedside table was turned on, her pillows propped up as she leaned back on them.

"Shouldn't you also be?" was Chloe's sleepy retort. "It's one in the morning over there."

"And it's four in yours."

"I woke up like twenty minutes ago and had trouble going back to sleep," Chloe replied. "It's your fault. I miss you. What's your excuse?"

"You already know," Beca said with a light smile. "I can't sleep without you."

Chloe blushed at the comment and shook her head. "What are we going to do with the two of us?"

"Well…"

"No funny business, Mitchell. I meant what I said about putting things under a pin," Chloe remarked amused.

"Shouldn't I be the one reprimanding you, Chlo? I'm not the one whose mind is going places here," Beca quipped. "I was just gonna say, could we just talk for a bit. I'll set my laptop down and you get more comfortable, and we can just talk about our day until we both fall asleep. Just, don't hang up. I know you'll wake up first, but when you do, could you wake me up too? That's when we both end the call. It'd be like we're sleeping next to each other. How about it?"

"Sure. You go first? How's everything? Still being secretive?"

"Sorry, force of habit. I've gotten a bit superstitious when something big is about to happen," Beca replied, setting her laptop down next to her and slipping under her covers, laying down sideways to face the screen.

"So I've seen of the teasers your social's been posting. Is this about your next album?"

Beca nodded, "I've got a song slated up for release soon, and then some."

"And then some?" Chloe asked, quirking an eyebrow but Beca only shook her head. "Fine, I'm not going to push, for as long as you're not being forced into doing something you don't want for the sake of your career. Also, I am here. Anytime, Becs. If there's anything I can help you out with."

"You know, I wasn't kidding about the real estate question," Beca replied.

Chloe looked like she was about to say something, opening her mouth to form the words, before hesitating. She bit her lip and looked thoughtful for a minute before settling on a response. "Beca, you do know I'm not asking you to move here. I can move to LA, that's an option too. Or if you decide to go back to New York or someplace else in this world. I just need time to figure out the logistics, things that we can talk about and figure out together after the finals. I just don't want to start something with you long distance, and have miscommunication and time zones be a major hurdle in our relationship."

"Chlo, I'm not doing this just for you," Beca replied. "I don't understand why people keep insisting that."

"Which people?"

"Um, that's uh… that's irrelevant," Beca answered but Chloe didn't look too satisfied with that answer. "Fine, Rhian, Theo, Gus, the whole lot."

Chloe chuckled. "Is that why Rhian doesn't like me?"

"She doesn't hate you Chlo, she's just not a fan that I'm making things complicated with my career. But I don't want you to worry about it. I want you to know I'm doing what I think is the best for me too, okay?"

Chloe nodded. "Although you haven't exactly said what it is you're scheming about. The only thing we've established is that you might move here."

"It's not a maybe, Chlo. It's a certainty," Beca replied. "There's a lot of stuff with it, and it's been our superstition with my team to keep things hush hush until it's out, but I do think it's a step in the right direction for me and my career. Besides, other than actually being in the same city as you, I get to be closer to the rest of the Bellas too. Em's still lives near Barden. Stacie and Aubrey are in the city too. My dad will be a lot closer as well, and my mom just moved to NC, so you know," she edified.

"Yeah, but I thought you'd need to be in LA for all the business stuff with you label?"

"Err… Not really," Beca then said, trying to keep the more confidential parts of her plan still a secret. She trusts Chloe, without a doubt, but she didn't want to tempt Fate or anything to take it all away from her, for it to all just collapse.

Beca went on before Chloe could comment about what she said. "Besides Chlo, I'm not asking you to uproot your safety and support system you have there. There's going to be a lot of adjustments for the both of us, and living in Atlanta would make things less toxic and a whole lot healthier for the both of us. You know, without the constant circus that comes with the lives of the rich and famous over here. Not saying we won't have run-ins with the photogs once and a while – that's kinda been a necessity on occasion – but we can be more private there."

"You've really thought about this, huh?" Chloe remarked, sounding impressed. The softness in her tone suggested that she was a little overwhelmed with the effort Beca was making. "But seriously, Becs, what about work?"

"Like I said, being taken care of."

"I mean it, Beca, if we pursue a relationship…"

"Then you'll be my date to awards shows," Beca replied with a smirk.

"And people will talk," Chloe reminded her. "I don't really give a damn about what the world thinks, but it can affect your life and how you are perceived. Won't your label be concerned?"

"Don't stress about it, Chlo. That part's being taken care of, for real," Beca said. "But enough about me, I wanna know how your day was, and I don't want any details missed, alright?"

Chloe laughed, and obliged. Normally, Beca wouldn't have any patience to listen to long, sprawling, and detailed stories when she's tired, but Beca loved to hear Chloe's voice. She took comfort in just hearing it.

* * *

Chloe smiled as she listened to the song playing through her earbuds for the umpteenth time that day. She was closing up the vet clinic, being the only one without any concrete plans on Valentine's. Beca's been rather busy, jetting all over the world the last few days to promote her new single, the first one from her latest album. Still, Beca's been sending her random snapshots of places she's visited while doing radio and morning show interviews, as well as late night pre-recorded show performances. Although a bit dismayed, Chloe was hoping she could speak to Beca soon. Their video calls have started to increase in frequency, talking mostly about their daily lives, coworkers, and trivial matters. Once in a while, the two of them would venture on the topic about their future together, but they never go much into the details of it. The last time the topic was briefly brought up, Beca said something about finding the perfect view, looking excited but sleepy. Chloe decided not to press her on it, urging Beca to get some rest.

As for the actual song itself, it was released last Friday and have since gained traction in the top one hundreds over the weekend. The arrangement was simple, the accompaniment stripped down to just the humble strumming of the guitar. It reminded Chloe of the dance she had shared with Beca a few months ago.

_I was kinda hesitant to tell you  
Should I let you know?  
I was never really like this before  
Need I say more_

The lyrics were perfect. The song sweet, vulnerable, and simple – and clean, as Aubrey would teasingly add, reminding Chloe of the talk they shared in Beca's retreat. The Bellas chat were buzzing about it too, Beca appreciating the compliments her friends threw her way while also urging them to congratulate Emily for a job well done, Legacy only admitting that this was what kept her busy with Beca prior to Thanksgiving.

Chloe had to hand it to the two of them, they knew how to compose the perfect song.

_Or maybe I'm confused when you are near me  
I don't know what to do or I should be  
There's only one thing in my mind  
That's you and me_

Chloe continued to listen to the song on the drive home, putting it on repeat. She had a new favorite song from her favorite artist. But this one just had a little something extra special about it. Chloe couldn't help but think that this song was indeed for her.

_I'm a little bit of crazy  
I'm a little bit of a fool  
I'm a little bit of lonely  
I'm a little bit of all, oh  
I need a cure  
Just a little bit of you  
And I will fall_

Chloe parked her car in her spot, waiting just a little bit more to finish the song before heading up to her apartment. She checked her phone for messages and smiled to find that Beca had left her one.

_Beca [6:01 PM]: So, I've got a surprise for you_

Chloe chuckled, instantly sending a reply, directly asking Beca if that surprise was the song she had just released. Despite the teasing from the Bellas, Beca never did tell them who the song was about or what inspired her, or why she asked Emily's help to get it perfectly. Amy and Stacie seem to have a clue though, only sending random cutesy and romantic GIFs.

_I'm always on a run to see you  
Would you allow me to?  
It wasn't my intention to hurt you  
This feeling is true_

The song had just finished when Beca finally responded. Chloe was walking towards her apartment building, checking her surroundings as she walked across the parking lot. She read Beca's response and replied as she made her way inside the building and up to her floor.

_Beca [6:04 PM]: The answer should be obvious, Beale_

_Chloe [6:05 PM]: I mean, you've been coy about what the song was for or who it's about with the Bellas_

_Chloe [6:06 PM]: Is it for your mom? Your dad? Did Stacie and Aubrey ask you to write a song for them?_

_Chloe [6:07 PM]: Is this a delayed wedding gift for Amy and Bumper? Or have you met someone new?_

_Beca [6:08 PM]: As if_

_Beca [6:09 PM]: Also, I can't believe you thought I was dense. I'm now officially offended by it, you're denser than I am XP_

_Beca [6:10 PM]: YOU_

_Beca [6:11 PM]: Chloe, it's for YOU_

_Beca [6:12 PM]: They're always all for you_

_Beca [6:13 PM]: Happy Valentine's, btw_

_Chloe [6:14 PM]: Well, I appreciate the gift_

_Beca [6:15 PM]: That's not the surprise, dummy. That was stating what should have been obvious_

Chloe's eyebrows knitted together in confusion to Beca's remark. She felt for keys as she stopped in front of her door and froze in her place as she started to hear the keyboard in her apartment being played. At first she thought it was Stacie or Aubrey. The two of them had a spare key to her place, and Aubrey had the bad habit of just sneaking in and grabbing something in her pantry when she's missing something she needed urgently.

But as Chloe opened her door she was treated to a nice surprise, the one and only Beca Mitchell playing her song on her old keyboard as she sang, the song she – with Emily's help – wrote for her.

_Or maybe I'm confused when you are near me  
I don't know what to do or I should be  
There's only one thing in my mind  
That's you and me_

Chloe stood in front door speechless. Beca had said the night before that she had meetings, appointments, and interviews all day. She's been in New York the last three days that Chloe assumed she was still there. She wasn't expecting to see Beca until a week later, during their planned Bellas weekend boot camp.

But there she was, all dressed up in a dark blue suite and shorts ensemble. All chic and business casual, with a hint of her trademark rebellious side.

Beca smirked a little, catching a glimpse of Chloe by the door. That urged Chloe to come inside and close the door behind her. She bit her lip, trying to fight the growing smile on her face, as she leaned behind her door and watched Beca finish her mini-performance.

_I'm a little bit of crazy  
I'm a little bit of a fool  
I'm a little bit of lonely  
I'm a little bit of all, oh  
I need a cure  
Just a little bit of you  
And I will fall_

Beca looked up once she was done, all smug about leaving her speechless. "How?" Chloe managed to ask as she recovered.

"I asked Stacie for a favor. The price was more babysitting next week, but I don't mind," Beca said with a shrug as she made her way to Chloe.

"That's not what I meant, Beca," Chloe replied with a bit of laughter.

"Oh, I know," Beca replied. "But I missed you, and it's Valentine's… and well, I just thought about how some days, it's gonna be like this. I'll get pulled in different kinds of directions, more like locations, really, but I don't want you to think I'll forget about you, Chlo. Interruptions and all of it included. I just figured that we should make the most of whatever little time we can share with each other on days when things are at their craziest."

Chloe, overwhelmed by the efforts Beca had made just for her, was at a loss for words.

Luckily, she didn't need words to express what she wanted to say at all. Chloe took the last few steps to close the distance between her and Beca, stopping only when she was mere inches away. She cupped Beca's face and pulled her close for a sweet kiss. Beca eagerly reciprocated, her arms wrapping around Chloe. The two only finally pulled away for air. It was struggle, but Chloe managed to untangle herself from Beca, planting one more kiss on her forehead before stepping away.

Chloe very much wanted more, but with much still to talk about, she figured that the two of them can wait just a little bit longer.

Beca had a goofy smile on her face nonetheless. "Oh, so I do get another kiss," she commented, looking all smug. "Can I get another one?"

Chloe rolled her eyes and laughed, amused with her antics, before shaking her head.

"Why not?" Beca demanded to ask. Although there wasn't really much of a fight or demand in her tone. She sounded happy and amused herself.

"Beca, if I keep kissing you, I might not want to stop and let you go," Chloe at the very least admitted. Being able to just say all the things she wanted to Beca, being truthful about how she felt around her, it made Chloe feel a whole lot lighter.

"What if that's my goal?" Beca asked, her tone dropping a little lower.

Chloe shook her head as she tried to clear her mind of the thoughts Beca was putting into it. She had to clear her throat before she managed to reply.

"Nothing's decided yet, Mitchell. We're still putting a pin on this, remember?" Chloe then remarked. "Figuring out how thing will be, or if you're sure about this because you're the one with the most to lose if we do. That was just because you swept me off my feet."

Beca smirked, "You got it wrong, Beale," she started to say with a kind of confidence that Chloe's never really seen in Beca before. "I've got the most to lose if I let you go again."

Chloe found herself speechless once again. It was a pleasant surprise to find that Beca had a certain way with words. She was starting to wonder why she needed Emily's help with writing the song in the first place, Chloe's best guess was that Beca was just nervous it wouldn't be perfect.

Beca looked pleased. She walked past Chloe and lingered closer to the front door. "But I understand," Beca then said, offering her hand to Chloe. "So I guess I'll just have to settle with you having dinner with me."

"Wouldn't you get mobbed by your adoring fans?" Chloe teased.

"Chloe, would you just stop with the teasing and trust me," she said. "Now come on, I texted Rob when I saw you walk in the building through your window. I've got someplace to show you."

The drive wasn't too long. On their way, Chloe found out that Beca had all of three hours to stay in Atlanta before she needed to leave again. Chloe was confused why she wanted to spend a good chunk of that time driving around when they could have spent it on dinner and catching up, but Beca simply shook her head. She was amused by Chloe's reactions, and Chloe could tell she was clearly loving this. Chloe used to be the one who would always end up roping Beca into doing something, the person with the surprises and secrets that kept the other guessing, and Chloe loved the dumbfounded expression on Beca's face every time the reveal of their plans happened. She would pretend to resist it, hate it even sometimes, but she always ended up loving it.

There was a shift in their dynamics now. Chloe should have seen it already since they reunited with the Bellas. Beca was still Beca, she could be adorable and clueless sometimes, maybe even nervous, but she's gotten better at hiding it. She was more self-assured and direct when she wanted to be. Chloe wasn't sure how to feel about.

Well, technically, she does. She just won't let her mind wonder into those thoughts. Not for now at least.

They soon pulled up into one of the richest neighborhoods in Atlanta, stopping in front of a mansion with modern architectural designs. It wasn't as grand as some of the homes that they passed by, but it was very much in line with Beca's tastes. Gus and Theo stepped outside just as they got out of the car. They gave Beca the thumbs up before she showed Chloe the way in. The place had an open floor plan. Beca kept going on the number of bedrooms it had upstairs, and how she was already planning to convert into a home studio. The place had high ceilings, floor to window glass panes separated the family room from the pool side. Even the dining was set up to have a great view of the city outside. Chloe noticed a foldable dining table set in the middle of the room, the floor adorned with rose petals, with take out orders hot and ready and a candle light set in the middle of the table. Theo and Gus must have prepared it all for them.

"So, what do you think?" Beca asked, looking excited.

"You're buying this house," Chloe stated more than asked.

"Actually just closed on it," Beca corrected.

"Beca," Chloe started to say. "You can't do this all for me, or just to be with me."

"Relax, Chlo, I haven't asked you to move in with me yet," Beca remarked with a chuckle. "We can take things slow. But either way, I'm planning to move here. You can move in with me sometime down the line, and if you want, we can look for a different place."

"Yes, I know, but Beca, I feel like I have very little contribution here," Chloe replied. "I appreciate the gesture, but I don't want you to think that I need all of this just to be with you. You being close is enough. Hell, we can live in a shoebox again, and I'll be fine."

"I know, Chlo," Beca replied. "This is really for me."

"Besides, I can't pull all these grand gestures."

"I don't need you to," Beca replied, reaching out to hold Chloe's hand in her own. She interlaced their fingers together before pulling their hands up. Beca pressed her lips on the back of Chloe's hand. "This is enough, just being with you," Beca admitted. "You have no idea how much it does wonders to me, Chlo. You're my home."

Chloe beams, briefly looking away. "You've really become quite the smooth talker, Becs."

Beca shook her head, "This isn't just words, Chloe. This isn't me pretending or trying hard. You put all the words in me, I'm just setting it free now," she replied. "Now, I have roughly two hours," Beca replied, checking the time on her watch, "how about we enjoy our romantic Valentine's dinner before I have to leave again?"

Chloe nodded, smiling.

Maybe somedays, these kind of moments were all they were going to get. But that's okay. She would treasure them all anyway.

Especially with Beca going all out of her way to make them special.

Chloe was sure, she'll get the chance to return the favor someday too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe I actually wrote something that gave me cavities while writing it.
> 
> Song featured in this chapter is called A Little Bit (by MYMP). Fun fact, the first four lines of the chorus were incorporated in the narration for the four different POVs from chapter 15 ;) I wonder if you've noticed them.
> 
> Check out the song, it's sweet and romantic, and it's been added to the playlist (link below).
> 
> www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbWZQ6nwYXxFjX9z3vft3leEz7dN9K_5
> 
> Next chapter might also just be a short one since it's just a pre-finals bit. If I finish it before going to bed then I might upload it tomorrow. We'll see. If not, expect the upload on Thursday.


	22. The Last Grand Arena

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's finally March, and the Bellas are working on their final preparations at the location for their last acapella bout.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short update for this one, just Lilly and the… dress rehearsals?! 
> 
> Oh, and DSM.
> 
> They definitely run into their rivals here.

The past few months have gone by like a blur, but it wasn't without its treasured moments. Lilly herself was tired, but very much fulfilled with the efforts they've been putting into their practices.

The Bellas' group chat have become livelier than ever, especially after Beca released her latest single. Teasing was at its all-time high too. The video chats were stricter, in a sense, with Aubrey making sure the Bellas were able to still practice their performance together. If someone couldn't make it, Aubrey would try to set a separate schedule, keeping notes on timing with the choreography. Because of the length and intensity that the performance required, they were also all keeping up with their own daily fitness routines. Cardio was very much high on the list. Rest too, Aubrey reminding each and every one of them to improve sleeping patterns and get enough rest. Balance was key to not burn out during their preparations.

They also met twice the past two months, Beca handling their practice venues. Once in New York and another time in Atlanta. As much as the Bellas missed each other, everyone was focused on practice during those sessions. They made the most of the time that they had with each other to perfect their routine, make adjustments, all of that.

The week of the event, the Bellas all gathered at New York, taking some time off from work for their last bit of preparations. Amy was the one who footed the bill this time and rented a place for all of them to stay, somewhere in the upper east side of Manhattan, and also reserved a dance studio for their rehearsals.

The day before the finals, the organizers allowed the Bellas to have dress rehearsals. That's really where things got interesting for Lilly. The teams weren't allowed to interact so that they couldn't mess with each other, and so that they can't see their performance until the day off. Their order for the rehearsals were the reverse order for their performance.

Each team had a two hour block at the Madison Square Garden. Lilly stood in the middle of the stage in awe and wonder. The Bellas have performed in front of thousands of guests before. The crowd riff-off round at the staples center would have about the same number as the sold-out finals event the day after tomorrow. But there was something about seeing all the empty seats in front of her that she actually felt the grandness of their battlefield.

"You okay, Lilly?" Beca asked amused and Lilly simply nodded.

Their destiny awaited them.

But first they had to prepare for war.

And prepare they did.

The Bellas made the most of their practice hour. Aubrey was giving final instructions about their blocking five minutes before their time was up.

"Oh no," Emily squeaked, catching Aubrey's attention. Lilly herself was focused on their former co-captain that she didn't notice the source of Emily's concern until all other Bellas found it.

Das Sound Machine.

It would seem that the German group had gotten there, five minutes before their allotted time. Most of their members were minding their own business, some seemingly annoyed that the Bellas were still there.

Beca left her post, and instantly rushed towards where the Bellas kept their personal belongings near the upper side of the stage. She fished for her phone and started typing something away. Meanwhile Aubrey was stuck in a stare down with the she-wolf leader of their rivals.

"I thought the rules were clear, you shouldn't have been allowed in until we were done with rehearsals," Aubrey noted.

"The rules state we cannot see your pedestrian performance, you are not performing on stage. What's the harm?" Pieter replied in Luisa's stead.

"Can't you really help yourselves but sabotage the last few minutes we have?" Chloe stepped up, joining her best friend for their stare down.

"I guess you're right about that, pardon us _Fräulein_. I forgot that some people desperately need every precious second they can get. We don't want another catastrophe of a performance, no?" Luisa replied.

Judging from the sharp intake of breath that Chloe took and the fire in her eyes, Lilly could guess she was gearing up for a verbal smack down with the Kommissar. The rest of the Bellas were exchanging strategies should things get ugly. Amy said he'd take down the Adonis-looking guy, Stacie was already calling dibs with Pieter. The members of DSM all had their attention to the Bellas now too. Pieter and Adonis man jumped up the stage, and the rest followed suit. The Kommissar, got on stage herself with no help, staring down at Chloe as soon as she got up herself. The two sizing each other up.

But before things got escalated, Beca cleared her throat and shook her head, getting the Bellas to back down. She stepped up to where Chloe was, interlaced their fingers, and nodded towards the side of the stage. "Come on, Chlo," Beca said, her eyes never leaving Chloe's. She nodded towards the backstage area, hinting that they should take their exit there.

"Nice to see you are actually here, _meine kleine maus_. Or were you also in that disastrous performance before, I don't think I remember seeing you, being all tiny and all," the Kommissar then said, eying Beca.

Beca looked like she was fighting all her urges to respond, instead looking at the direction of the back stage expectantly until Rob appeared from behind the curtains. Beca smirked and pulled Chloe towards the direction her body guard came from. She waved her hands, asking the Bellas to follow her.

"It's rude to walk away when I'm not done –" Luisa called back, attempting to catch up with Beca and Chloe. But Rob stopped her, blocking her way. Rob cleared his throat and shook his head. His imposing built keeping the rest of DSM in line.

Beca chuckled. "Thanks for handling the trash for me, Rob," she called back as the Bellas caught up to her and Chloe. Amy in particular couldn't contain her laughter.

"Nice one, Mitchell," Aubrey when they finally made their way out.

"Thanks," Beca replied, still holding Chloe's hand even after they got out and the two of them started walking together at a steady pace. The other Bellas couldn't help but notice too, exchanging smiles with knowing looks as Beca spoke. "To be honest, I was about to panic because I realized I deleted my notes from Rhian. But since Rob and Gus were picking us up, I ended up having an inspired idea."

"You were about to flirt with her again, weren’t you?" Chloe noted, quirking an eyebrow at Beca.

"But I didn't," Beca reminded her. "This is a win, Chlo," she insisted before raising their holding hands together. From the looks of it, Beca was about to kiss the back of Chloe's hand but stopped short of it – probably realizing that the Bellas were all there – and awkwardly raised their joined hands together for a weird fist pump to celebrate her triumphantly not complimenting the Kommissar. The two of them have been flirting with each other the whole week. Stacie didn't look like she was about to combust anymore, exchanging looks with Amy, but the two of them decided to keep things to themselves for now. Flo thought they were being unfair. Stacie shrugged it off though, enjoying the fact that she was holding sacred knowledge and trying to see what the Bellas were willing to do in exchange for it. Lilly thinks she was hoping one of them would volunteer babysitting Bella – who was staying with her and Aubrey in their room – for a night or two. No one had given in just yet.

If anything, that should have been a clue. Because Aubrey and Stacie seemed to be keen on letting Beca and Chloe have alone time. Amy couldn't do it because she kept sneaking off to where Bumper was staying during the evenings.

"What now, more practice back at the flat?" Jessica asked Aubrey.

"How about let's rest? We can do one final run through tomorrow morning at the dance studio Amy rented before resting for the most part of the day too," Chloe then said.

Aubrey nodded, before Rob rejoined them and led the way to where their service was parked.

Lilly stole one last glance of the Garden. The next time she's there, it would be during the big event.

She took a deep breath and slowly released it.

Was she scared or nervous at all? Surprisingly not.

She was excited.

It was time to show the world once again just what the Bellas were made of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy that little DSM interaction. There will be some more later on. But O-M-aca-G, the finals start next chapter!
> 
> I'm looking at my personal playlist for this story and I'm already prepping for hours' long writing sessions to get each of the following updates done. My brain is all go big or go home with performance chapters… I do hope they all pay off… You'll get tiny Bellas interactions during the performances of their competitions and some backstage shenanigans? Let's just say some of the performances will, uh, turn the heat up **nudge, nudge** **wink, wink**
> 
> I'll try to get the next chapter up Sunday. The plan is to do daily uploads starting from that one. Depending on how long they end up being, I might do double uploads (for short ones) or do an every other day upload. I'm usually able to tell when the next one is going to be uploaded based on my progress. We'll see, but I'll keep you guys updated.


	23. Back to the Block

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the finals of the special iteration of the World Championships! The Bellas are all excited as they await their turn in their backstage dressing room and watch the performances of their competition. First up? The 6-member acapella group Vocal-sity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah! It's the finals! We're backstage at MSG here with our fave girls.
> 
> True confessions, this is my least favorite of the performance chapters, for a reason, but this one was also the easiest to write because it only has a few songs (the said reason… it's not as crazy as the others are going to be). It's still a whole lot of fun though.
> 
> First up, is Vocal-sity. Can you guess who their assigned artist is based on the chapter title? The next chapters will also follow the trend with their titles ;)

* * *

The Bellas were all looking fabulous with their simple yet chic ensemble. Jessica beamed as she glanced around their dressing room, bubbling with excitement. Stacie and Chloe were really the ones to thank for the look. They're all dressed in navy blue, with varying accessories or secondary pieces in white such as the white open bolero that Emily was wearing, the suspenders that Cynthia Rose picked for herself, and the white leather vest that Beca was rocking. It wouldn't be a complete homage to their past if they didn't have their Barden Bella scarves either tied to their necks – a classic look that Aubrey was still rocking – their wrists, or around their belt loop, like Jessica herself did.

Like the preliminary round, each team was kept in a separate dressing room. All of them equipped with a flat screen TV so they can watch their competition's performance. The next team on call would wait on one side of the stage, alternating rom each side based on where their assigned rooms were. DSM had the center dressing room, a surprise perk that was also awarded to them, and had opted to take both sides of the stage for their entrance and exit, or so the teams were briefed so that they all knew what kind of traffic they would expect on their side back stage.

Jessica didn't think much of them. At least, she tried not to. Their rivals were clearly trying to rattle them and the other teams too. From what they heard from the gossip between the stagehands, they also tried to disrupt Rhythmasher's practice, by overextending their stay during the dress rehearsals. It seemed as if they were desperate to ensure that this time around, they most definitely win.

Thankfully, Jessica had her own distractions. Pentatonix were currently the selected hosts for the finals. The group also performed as the opening act for the event, sort of setting the stage to what the audience would expect for the finals, doing a medley of songs from artists who were not selected from the preliminary round's riff-off categories.

In the meantime, Rhian was hard at work for the Bellas – well, Beca really – drumming up support for the group. Ashley had informed them that they were currently trending in all social media apps, with celebrities hyping up the group and sending their support.

A good chunk of that worldwide support were clearly coming from Beca's fans, but Rhian, the PR genius that she was, managed to work something out for celebs to drop by behind the scenes and do a meet and greet with the group. The Bellas did an arranged "run in" with Taylor Swift the night before at the restaurant where they had an early dinner. Some photos were taken, the paparazzi were called for a bit, and Rhian managed to choreograph the whole thing to make it look all natural. Somehow, Jessica was starting to understand the difficulties that Beca's life now entailed. Afterwards, they were allowed to just rest.

It did the trick though, because no one was even talking about the other groups. It was almost as if the Bellas were about to have a concert and every other group was just the warming up.

As for the moment, Jessica was still awestruck that Taylor Swift came by for some pics on her socials, with Rhian also handling Beca's part, and talked to the girls for a bit, wishing them well. Jordan Fisher dropped by too, so did Hayley Kiyoko, Craig David, Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Usher, and Rihanna. There was this up and coming band, Dusk, who also dropped by and met the Bellas. Some bigger names – music royalty kind of big – also shockingly dropped by, like Paul McCartney and Elton John. That left Jessica utterly amazed, but apparently they knew Beca – _and Beca didn't even say anything about it?!_ Jessica felt like she had died and ascended to heaven when Beyoncé herself came by and chatter with Beca and the Bellas a bit, telling them to knock their performance out of the park. There were so many reasons why, but Jessica was happy that she wasn't the only one who had their jaws practically at the floor. Only Beca kept her cool, and even then she sort of had a bit of a moment to process the fact that Beyoncé strolled into their dressing room after she left.

Eventually, the parade of celebrities through their door slowed down a bit, and the Bellas were left alone to just chill and relax before they head out. The only other person with them backstage was Rhian who was hard at work covering them and prepping Beca with stinger insults in case she ran into Luisa again.

Pentatonix had finished their schpill about the competition, the grand prize, the teams, and a flashback roll of how their riff-off performances. They introduced the expert panel of judges, and were wrapping up their recap of the rules of the round. Namely, each team were assigned an artist with a discography that included dance-worthy hits. They were to perform an acapella medley of some of their biggest hits – and yes, they were allowed to remix some of the less upbeat tunes into their performance – and deliver a nonstop, high octane, aca-amazing performance. The minimum time limit was set at seven minutes, and while possible to go longer, none of the judges expect any performance longer than twenty minutes.

Beca paused her efforts with Rhian, as soon as Pentatonix finished the recap of the rules, her eyes glued to the screen along with the other Bellas. Matt, their current bass, stepped up from the group to introduce the first group to perform. Vocal-sity.

Jessica took a deep breath and exchanged a look with Ashley. It was time to begin the final round of the 75th anniversary of the World Championships for Acapella.

_Here we go._

* * *

Ashley kept her eyes trained on the group of six acapella singers on stage, their varsity jacket on. She couldn't help but feel for Vocal-sity, as their numbers made it feel like the odd were already against them. She was entirely curious was to how the group could pull off the requirements of the performance, with most groups undoubtedly doing many mash-ups had having more options for leads who could alternate and allow the others to take a break from both singing and dancing at the same time.

But, Ashley reminded herself that they were absolute professionals competing for decades now. She was already expecting Vocal-sity to surprise her.

Things started off simple enough, with their resident beatboxer laying down beats. Pentatonix didn't introduce who their assigned artist was, wanting to leave a bit of mystery and surprise for the audience but from the intro beats of the rather familiar song, Ashley guessed it was Jennifer Lopez.

_Turn up this mother and let it play  
I know you like my bumper, don't be ashamed  
Don't even wonder it's just a game  
We're rockin' body to body, let's go insane_

_I hit the spotlight, all night, ready to go  
Give you a hard night, so tight, ready to blow  
I'm in the spotlight, all night, ready to go  
Give you a hard night, so tight, ready to blow_

Vocal-sity kept the choreography simple to start with, and so far, they were doing pretty good. As they hit the chorus of the first song, they each shrugged off their jackets, the group revealing that they were all wearing nothing but simple white shits underneath. They started really getting into the performance as well.

_Oh, we can do anything we want  
Live it up, so live it up, live it up, go  
Oh, and we ain't stoppin' 'till we're done  
Live it up, so live it up, live it up  
Go, go, go, go, go, go..._

_Make love, don't fight  
Let's (SHHH)_

All six members placed a finger on their lips before setting up the transition to the next song. Having an equal ratio of men to women in their group, they all partnered off and performed a ballroom dancing sequence as they started the next song.

_I wanna dance  
(Dance, yes, Love, next)  
I wanna dance  
(Dance, yes, Love, next)_

Their beatboxer was hard at work, trying to lay the beat. A different soprano was singing the lead for their second song for the medley while the rest provided back up harmonies, giving their first lead singer a break. Still, Ashley couldn't help but notice that some of them – their beatboxer in particular – was starting to sound out of breath. With only six of them performing, she found it easier to catch inconsistencies and mistakes in their performance.

_Baby your fire is lighting me up  
The way that you move boy is reason enough  
That I love to make love to you baby  
(Yeah, make love to me)_

_I can't behave  
Oh I want you so much  
Your lips taste like heaven  
So why should I stop?  
Yeah, I love to make love to you baby  
(Yeah, make love to me)_

_If this would be a perfect world  
We'd be together then  
(Let's do it, do it, do it)  
Only got just one life this I've learned  
Who cares what they're gonna say  
(Let's do it, do it, do it)_

_I wanna dance, and love, and dance again  
I wanna dance, and love, and dance again_

The decline in the energy started to become more and more noticeable to the trained eyes of the Bellas who started to chat among themselves. Vocal-sity threw in a tango sequence as they tried to slow things down and finish that section. But it was clear that they weren't used to doing complicated choreography to match the tempo of the songs there were singing. They were gassing out, burning out most of their energy with the opening medley without having the required strength and energy to carry out the rest of their performance to the standard expected of them. Ashley couldn't help but find it a bit disappointing, especially since they were actually pretty good.

_I'm goin' in, I'm goin' in, in in in in_

A different lead singer started to take over. One of the men, their tenor, took the lead for the next section as the group got into position for their next step sequence. They tried to keep the energy up with their movement but it only made things look less polished.

_Take it to the head  
Take it off the edge  
Nothing but the best  
Feeling like a million, million people everywhere  
Put it in the air  
We don't give a damn  
Feeling like a billion, billion_

_No hold, there ain't no stopping us tonight  
I'm on my crazy, she on a crazy, we on this crazy  
We are amazing_

_Tonight feels like we can do anything we like, oh  
Tonight feels like the best night of my life  
I'm goin' in_

The next lead, the woman who did the first song of the medley, jumped back in. The transition was rather smooth, with only the vocal lyrical part sounding a little bit breathy. It was clear their soprano was doing her best to control her breathing. All of their members look tired.

_Dance the night away  
Live your life and stay young on the floor  
Dance the night way  
Grab somebody, drink a little more_

_Don't stop, keep it movin'  
Put your drinks up_

_Tonight we gon' be it on the floor  
(it on the floor)  
Tonight we gon' be it on the floor  
(it on the floor)_

Jessica fished for her phone from her bag and checked the time. Ashley glanced at her screen as well, they were at about five to six minutes in. Ashley wasn't sure they won't be able to sustain their performance for about two more minutes. She shot a look at Aubrey who looked worried for the performers on stage as she glanced at her watch as well.

_Don't stop, keep it movin'  
Put your drinks up  
Pick your body up and drop it on the floor  
Let the rhythm change your world on the floor  
You know we're running shit tonight on the floor  
Brazil, Morocco, London to Ibiza  
Straight to LA, New York, Vegas to Africa_

Vocal-sity persevered, hanging in there. At this point, they undoubtedly know that their performance weren't going according to plan but they were still trying to do their best. If only to at least finish the performance.

_La la la la la la la la la la la la la la  
Tonight we gon' be it on the floor  
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la  
Tonight we gon' be it on the floor_

"Almost done," Ashley heard Emily say to her left, anxiously tapping her foot. At this point, all of the Bellas were concerned for Vocal-sity, checking their phones and watches for the time. Ashley even heard Beca ask Rhian to communicate with Gus about sending some emergency personnel or doctor to make sure they're okay after their performance. They group looked like they weren't enjoying it anymore. Ashley couldn't help but agree. They looked like they were being tortured.

_La la la la la la la la la la la la la la  
Tonight we gon' be it on the floor  
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la  
Tonight we gon' be it on the floor_

The back-up beats were dying in the background as most of the group members still did their best to sing, albeit completely out of breath.

_Tonight we gon' be it on the floor  
(it on the floor)_

Ashley was genuinely concerned they would all collapse to the floor soon. With their dying beats, she couldn't help but wonder if they were soon going to be dying singers.

_Let me introduce you to my party people in the club, huh_

Because if they really wanted to breathe again, they really ought to stop as soon as they hit the seven minute mark.

_La la la la la la la la la la la la la la  
Tonight we gon' be it on the floor_

The performance ended and the six members of Vocal-sity were practically gasping for air as they met a confused assortment of applause. Members of Pentatonix rushed on stage and checked on them before resuming their hosting duties.

"Well, at least they tried and fought hard, right?" Flo asked.

"Guess cardio really is important," Amy then said, a mortified expression fixed on her face.

"Thank you!" Aubrey remarked, prompting both Stacie and Chloe to laugh. "I mean, someone should really check on them, but at least you know, I had genuine concerns for all our sake whenever I made you train and work on cardio."

Even Jessica let out a chuckle next to Ashley. Aubrey wasn't wrong. Vocal-sity's performance highlighted the importance of cardio. Aubrey was finally getting the recognition she deserved.

Ashley felt thankful for Aubrey's strict regimen, but now she couldn't help but wonder if the other groups would meet the same fate. The only thing she knew for sure was that DSM would rather die than experience the same thing on stage. They were undoubtedly prepared, and so were the Bellas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whatcha think? I reckon Vocal-sity would have needed an Aubrey-inspired retreat to whip them into shape, 'cause they kinda weren't.
> 
> Also, I love what's coming up for the next chapter. Performance-wise and Bellas-backstage-exchanges-wise XD
> 
> J. Lo mega-mix that inspired this chapter has been added to the playlist. Click the link below if you want to check it out.
> 
> www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbWZQ6nwYXxFjX9z3vft3leEz7dN9K_5
> 
> Finals would run up to chapter 27. We have 28-30 for all the rest to wrap-up our Bechloe story.


	24. Pop Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are heating up with the finals - both literally and figuratively - as the next group sets up and delivers an acapella performance that might challenge the ratings board, if the acapella world even had one.
> 
> This chapter may not be suitable for children ages 7 and below.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I actually went overboard again…
> 
> But can you imagine this as an actual movie scene though? I think the performance would clock in between 10 to 12 mins with all my adjustments…
> 
> Who's you're best guest for the artist that inspired this chapter? It'll be one of the two you should be thinking about when you hear the words "Pop princess"

The Bellas got settled as Pentatonix once again went on their usual schpill about the contest, the prizes, and the previous group – Vocal-sity – talking about their performance in a positive light. They then jumped into reminding the audience of the generous sponsors for the event. Rhian had left Beca's side for a few minutes, coordinating some stuff with her assistants and stepped out of the room. Beca soon found herself sitting on the dressing table, next to where Chloe was standing. To Chloe's right was Emily, turning the swivel chair she was sitting on side to side, trying to calm down her nerves. On the couch on the corner of the room was Jessica, Ashley, and Flo. Amy was sitting on the arm rest of the couch. On the opposite end was an armchair occupied by Aubrey, seating all regally as if she was sitting on a throne, with Stacie happily sitting on her lap, her long legs draped over the arm rests.

Cynthia Rose was sitting on a swivel chair herself right next to Lilly. She was flipping through her phone, reading social media comments about the contest, the Bellas still trending. The outpour of support they were receiving globally was definitely giving them a confidence boost. For Cynthia Rose though, the biggest boost will always come in the form of their loved ones cheering them on in the audience, her wife in particular.

"Do you think they're okay?" Emily then asked just as the current schpill about the sponsors were coming to an end.

"Vocal-sity? I'm sure they'll be fine, Legacy," Cynthia Rose replied.

"I doubt that the organizers didn't have any medical personnel on hand, what with their difficult demands and high expectations," Flo chimed in.

"I do hope so, I want to be guilt-free of being happy that we have one less competition," Amy then said.

"I'm just surprised they didn't do more to train for this," Ashley commented.

"They were pretty good during the riff-offs, but I suppose that's more to do with singing shorter snippets and shorter performances whenever one group jumps in, and well, we did have breaks in between each round," Jessica added, saying her thoughts out loud.

"From my recon on our opposition," Aubrey said, jumping in, "they really weren't accustomed to high energy performances. Mostly just simple step-sequences. They were almost an acapella version of a barber shop quartet act."

Beca then shushed them, pointing to the screen. Kevin from Pentatonix was starting to hype the next group. All the Bellas once again turned their attention to the screen, as the Voicenotes, an all-male singing group of about twelve members, took the stage and got into their starting positions. They were all once again dressed in their sleek black suits, black dress shirt underneath, black ties, and – surprise, surprise – black bowler hats.

"What they did Pentatonix hint at being their assigned artist?" Lilly asked.

"Something about a gender-swapped performance?" Stacie replied confused.

"How about we actually pay attention and find out?" Chloe then asked with a chuckle just as the group was about to start.

Cynthia Rose nodded, seconding Chloe's suggestion. She was curious herself to see whether or not the next group would meet expectations of fall short like Vocal-sity did.

* * *

All eyes were on the Voicenotes. They started with simple beats before stopping briefly, teasing the crowd a little with the first song in their medley. The familiar beats was recognizable enough. As the crowd went wild, clamoring for more, Emily realized that they're assigned artist was Britney Spears.

_Oh baby, baby  
(Danana)  
Oh baby, baby  
(Danana)_

This time, the Voicenotes sang, kicking off their full performance. It started off simple enough, the group on a stationary position on the stage, doing simple choreography to match the song they were singing, bringing in some of Britney Spears' own trademark steps from the song and mixing it into their own.

_Oh baby, baby, how was I supposed to know  
That something wasn't right here?  
(Danana)  
Oh baby, baby, I shouldn't have let you go  
And now you're out of sight, yeah  
(Danana)  
Show me how want it to be  
Tell me, baby, 'cause I need to know now, oh because_

The Voicenotes were giving off some slick but sexy vibes with their performance so far. Emily was definitely digging it. Some of the Bellas looked like they were enjoying their performance more than they did Vocal-sity's.

_My loneliness is killing me (and I)  
I must confess I still believe (still believe)  
When I'm not with you I lose my mind  
Give me a sign  
Hit me, baby, one more time_

Emily got goosebumps as they did a smooth transition into the next song

_Every time you look at me, oooh_

_You drive me crazy  
I just can't sleep  
I'm so excited, I'm in too deep  
Whoa oh oh, crazy, but it feels alright  
Baby, thinking of you keeps me up all night_

The group started to make more use of their space around the stage as they spread out. Dance-wise, Emily could barely see any faults in their well-polished choreography.

_I think I did it again  
I made you believe we're more than just friends  
Oh baby  
It might seem like a crush  
But it doesn't mean that I'm serious  
'Cause to lose all my senses  
That is just so typically me_

_Oops, I did it again  
I played with your heart, got lost in the game  
Oh baby, baby  
Oops, you think I'm in love  
That I'm sent from above  
I'm not that innocent_

Things started to get interesting soon enough. The group took off their suits and tossed it aside, rolled their sleeves, incorporating the action into their choreography. Their resident beatboxer laid down some pretty impressive and complex set of beats, half of their members remixing the harmonies of "Oops, I did it Again" with "Gimme More" and throwing in subtle hints of "I'm a Slave for U" in there along with an adlib of the song.

_(I'm a slave 4 U)_

The group did some fancy step sequence with their bowler hats as they got into the next song before simultaneously throwing it towards the crowd.

_Every time they turn the lights down  
Just want to go that extra mile for you  
Your public display of affection  
Feels like no one else in the room (But you)_

_We can get down like there's no one around  
We keep on rockin' (We keep on rockin')  
We keep on rockin' (Keep on rockin')  
Cameras are flashin' while we're dirty dancin'  
They keep watching (They keep watching)  
Keep watching  
Feels like the crowd is saying_

They loosened up their ties and removed it completely as they transitioned into the next song, once again mixing harmonies of previous songs they used as they got into formation.

_'Cause now I'm stronger than yesterday  
Now it's nothing but my way  
My loneliness ain't killing me no more  
I, I'm stronger_

The Voicenotes then started injecting some theatricality to their performance, acting all so torn up as they started tearing through their dress shirt to remove it – _where is this going?_ Emily couldn't help but ask herself.

_But mama I'm in love with a criminal  
And this type of love isn't rational, it's physical  
Mama please don't cry, I will be alright  
All reason aside I just can't deny, I love the guy_

They then laid down the harmonies of "Piece of Me" and "Gimme More" while they danced around in nothing but the bottom half of their suits and some flimsy thin sleeveless undershirt. Their members were all surprisingly fit. Emily could practically trace the outlines of their six-packs through their undershirt.

_Gimme, gimme (More)  
Gimme (More)  
Gimme, gimme (More)  
Gimme, gimme (More)  
Gimme (More)  
Gimme, gimme (More)_

Things only got more heated up when the Voicenotes transitioned with mixed harmonies of "Break the Ice" and "Circus." Chairs all slid from both sides of the stage, with the members stopping the chairs in motion by placing their foot on the seat before proceeding to incorporate the chair into their choreography.

"So I guess we're stepping into some _Magic Mike_ territory then?" Lilly asked.

Cynthia Rose shook her head. "I'm too gay for this nonsense. What do they hope to accomplish, woo the crowd with some seductive and suggestive dancing?"

_Love me, hate me, say what you want about me  
But all of the boys and all of the girls are begging to if you seek Amy  
Love me, hate me, but can't you see what I see?  
All of the boys and all of the girls are begging to if you seek Amy_

"I say it's working," Amy replied, nodding vigorously, and very much appreciative of the performance on screen. "Bumper's lucky that mama is no longer a rolling stone, otherwise I might not be able to help myself. They are, after all, seeking me," she added with a wink.

"Amy, the song's not about you," Stacie flat out replied. "They're spelling something out."

Amy was about to argue against Stacie but got distracted when the group all kicked their chairs away and smoothly transitioned into "Me against the Music."

_All my people on the floor, let me see you dance... (let me see ya...)  
All my people wanting more, let me see you dance... (I wanna see ya)_

"I'm really more curious about the props, did you guys know we could use props? Because that's kinda' neat," Beca commented.

_All eyes on me in the center of the ring just like a circus  
When I crack that whip everybody gon' trip just like a circus  
Don't stand there watching me, follow me, show me what you can do  
Everybody let go, we can make a dance floor just like a circus_

But before anyone could respond, the lead singer and head honcho of the group started ripping through his undershirt, dropping on his knees while some of his teammates started crawling all seductively on the floor. The rest of the group switch to a more risqué and suggestive step sequence.

_I'm a slave 4 U  
I cannot hold it  
I cannot control it  
I'm a slave 4 U  
I won't deny it  
I'm not trying to hide it_

Emily felt Chloe covering her eyes halfway through that segment. She had to swat it away to even try and get a glimpse of the rest of it.

"I'm not that innocent, you know?" Emily felt the need to say just as the Voicenotes started switching gear once more.

_One, two, three_

"Don't ever say that again, Emily," Chloe said.

More like chorused with Beca who also expressed her disapproval, "Nope, don't even, Ems."

"What do you think Benji and I do in the bedroom?" Emily retorted and the Bellas all grimaced.

"No, Legacy, just no," Cynthia Rose replied, her sentiments shared by the rest of the Bellas.

"Magic tricks?" Amy then provided as an answer.

"That's the only acceptable answer from you, Legacy, you're always going to be the baby of the group no matter how old you are," Stacie added.

_With a taste of your lips, I'm on a ride  
You're toxic, I'm slippin' under  
With a taste of a poison paradise  
I'm addicted to you  
Don't you know that you're toxic?  
And I love what you do  
Don't you know that you're toxic?_

Emily didn't pay much attention to the rest of the Bellas and their complaints about what she said as the Voicenotes performed their rendition of Toxic.

"Our version was better," Emily heard Beca say to Chloe. "I mean, considering we were under duress and all."

"Uh-huh," Chloe absent-mindedly replied. Emily turned towards the mirror and had to hold back a chuckle at Beca's annoyed expression on her face when Chloe's eyes were all but glued to the screen.

Meanwhile, the Voicenotes carried out their rendition of the next song in their medley, making a slight change to the lyrics.

_Womanizer, woman-womanizer  
I'm a womanizer  
Oh, womanizer, oh  
I'm a womanizer, baby_

Chloe seemed to have caught Emily's half-chuckle, however, and it caused her to be aware of Beca quirking an eyebrow at her. "What?" she asked in a low tone, not wanting to draw attention on themselves.

Beca simply shook her head. "I just forgot about my competition for a while there," she replied dryly, in equally hushed tones.

_You know I am, you know I am  
Womanizer, womanizer  
Womanizer_

"Well, they're not as intimidating as German valkyries," Chloe retorted before grabbing Beca's hand to hold in her own and stealing a quick kiss on her cheeks while the Bellas' attention were elsewhere. Emily had to hurriedly fix her eyes on the screen to not make it too obvious to Chloe that she was watching their reflection through the mirror.

Emily couldn't help the smile on her face though, and she couldn't help but wonder how much progress the two of them have had in their relationship since the holidays.

_If I said my heart was beating loud  
If we could escape the crowd somehow  
If I said I want your body now  
Would you hold it against me?_

The Voicenotes were doing really well, and Emily had to admit, they really didn't need the sexy factor on thrown into their performance, considering how silky smooth their beats and transitions were. She couldn't help but wonder if they just weren't that confident on delivering a high energy dance sequence and maintain singing well. Perhaps they used their seductive intervals to slow things down and control their breathing. Almost all the Bellas were enjoying their performance either way.

_'Cause you feel like paradise  
And I need a vacation tonight  
So, if I said I want your body now  
Would you hold it against me?_

"Yes, I would," Stacie then commented, perhaps enjoying their performance a little too much.

"Excuse me," Aubrey practically exclaimed. "Need I remind you that you have a wife?"

"WHAT?!" the rest of the Bellas all but screamed out, shocked by the comment and distracting themselves from the Voicenotes' performance. Emily's jaws nearly dropped on the floor by the sudden revelation.

"Since when have you two been married?" Chloe added, looking offended for not being in the loop.

Stacie couldn't help but laugh at Aubrey's expense, the Bellas' fearless leader blushing a deep crimson. It was a rare occurrence – and by rare, Emily meant it never happened before – but Aubrey was rather speechless.

"Relax, we're not," Stacie said, highly amused. "But is this your way of asking?" she asked Aubrey with a snort.

"I-um… we can talk about this later," was Aubrey's simple response.

The Bellas went back to their light-hearted chatter, teasing, and commentary, trying to catch up on what they missed from the performance so far.

The group had since gathered closer together in center stage, serving some high energy step sequence with a dash of smooth and fancy footwork.

_I can't take it, take it, take no more  
Never felt like, felt like this before  
C'mon get me, get me on the floor  
DJ whatcha, whatcha waitin' for?_

_Whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh oh  
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh oh  
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh oh  
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh oh  
Keep on dancing 'til the world ends_

Flo made a comment about how good "the eye candies… I mean, Voicenotes" were with their transitions. They made it sound that the entire medley was actually just one song, each number fitting in nicely where the other ends.

_We sayin' oh we oh, we oh, we oh  
We sayin' oh we oh, we oh, we oh  
I wanna scream and shout and let it all out  
And scream and shout and let it out  
We sayin' oh we oh, we oh, we oh_

Jessica then chimed in telling the group "at least they did cardio, and then some."

Emily had to agree. It's been months since they last ran into the Voicenotes and she couldn't remember if they all looked as fit as they did now during the last time. Granted, they were wearing costumes during the Halloween Bash, so it was kind of hard to tell.

What she did know for sure was they were surely giving it their all as they reached the final stretch of their performance. No signs of tiring down either.

_Hold your head high, fingers to the sky  
They gonna try to try ya', but they can't deny ya'  
Keep it building higher, and higher  
Keep it building higher, and higher  
So hold your head high, fingers to the sky  
Now they don't believe ya', but they gonna need ya'  
Keep it moving higher, and higher  
Keep it moving higher, and higher and higher_

"You gotta hand it to them, they've got some serious stamina," Lilly remarked.

"Yeah, but so do we," Cynthia Rose said in response.

_Work, work, work, work  
Work, work, work, work  
Work, work, work, work  
Work, work, work  
Work it out, work it out, work it out, work it out  
Work it out, work it out, work it out, work it out  
Work it out, work it out, work it out, work it out  
Work it out, work it out_

The group resumed their starting positions as the beats died out and were met with thunderous applause.

Cynthia Rose whistled. "Guess things are really starting to heat up."

Emily nodded in agreement. The Voicenotes definitely delivered a pleasantly surprising performance, and maybe hotter? Who knows if any other group had a similar tactic to distract the audience with their tiny imperfections? One thing was for sure, the competition only got harder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you appreciate what I did there ;)
> 
> I used a Britney Spears megamix, threw in If You Seek Amy, and an acapella mash-up by Ahmir for this chapter and mashed them all together in different places (so they're not exactly following the same order of the songs for either of the mixes). It also meant I listened to them all for a good three hours to find where I can insert this or that, or switch things up a bit. The base performance follows Ahmir's though. I uploaded all three mentioned above in the playlist. I hope you do enjoy listening to them. See the playlist at the link below.
> 
> www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbWZQ6nwYXxFjX9z3vft3leEz7dN9K_5


	25. Darlin' Dolls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After one hot performance, comes another sizzling one.
> 
> The Bellas watch as the third group of finalists take to the stage, the clock slowly ticking down to their own grand finale.
> 
> How would this group compare to the previous one?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! Thanks for supporting my efforts with this story thus far. Here's another fun chapter for you ;)
> 
> Any guesses on the artist that inspired the chapter. Hint, they're the only (girl) group in the bunch.
> 
> Comments, reactions, reviews and all are always appreciated.

The Bellas were back with their usual antics as soon as the performance finished. Amy led the charge, trying to grill Aubrey with her earlier comment about being Stacie's wife. Pentatonix, was back at it again with their usual schpill, even engaging the audience and trying to get them to cheer on who between the first two groups they thought was – the Voicenotes, for many obvious reasons – and who they were cheering for to win it all. The last question was met with an almost incomprehensible mix of names. Amy heard the Bellas thrown in there, of course, and she would like to think their name was the loudest screamed. But she had to admit, DSM's name was also quite noticeable from the mix.

Pentatonix then extended their schpill, two of their members roaming around the halls of the auditorium to interview some of the audience members, asking them the usual interview questions, such as who they were, where they were from, and who they came here to support. Amy did a quick tally to herself as the interviews went on. DSM and the Bellas were neck to neck in a tie, some pretty much voting both because they can't decide. But she was pretty surprised to find that they didn't have a substantial lead over the Voicenotes and Rhythmashers, who were also in a tie themselves, and were only four select audience votes off DSM and the Bellas. Amy didn't let that bother her, though. It was only a small sample size. Besides, they were the team that's trending online.

"Huh, no surprises here, but the Voicenotes is also trending now," Cynthia Rose commented.

But that comment was lost in the second flurry of celebrity presence coming in and out of their dressing room, led by Rhian and a the other celebs' publicists. The likes of Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Dan Levy, for example, came in to greet the Bellas and snap some pics. LeBron James came with his daughter – a big acapella, the Bellas, and Beca fan – were one of the stand outs. Other international athletes also showed up. World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe – who reminded Amy of the ninja turtles – and Brazilian star Neymar also surprisingly showed up. Apparently they were also big fans of Beca and ran into her during a stint at a club in Paris. Rihanna came back and said hi again when she heard that Paulo Dybala, an Argentinian football player who she's a big fan of, dropped by as well.

Amy's least favorite visits came from Benji, Jesse, and his wife who came to support the Bellas and wished them well. Beca managed to snag them backstage passes through Gus' efforts. She was a little disheartened when they decided not to include Bumper with them, but their decision was justifiable. Even Amy knew that Bumper might try to get under Aubrey's skin and rile her up in all the wrong ways.

Pentatonix started wrapping up their hosting duties around the same time that the former Trebles – and guest – left. Coincidentally, it gave the Bellas a glimpse of leather-clad DSM members, stealing a glance of the Bellas inside of their dressing room, sneering. Of course it included their fearless leader. The brief interaction was ended by their door slamming shut.

Beca looked like she was caught off guard but manage to smooth her features before Chloe could even notice. Amy was thankful for that. She still looked nervous around the German she-wolf, but at least there were some improvements based on their last interactions. Amy told herself to be on guard should they run into each other before the Bellas head on out the stage.

The banter between her friends soon died out as Pentatonix finally stopped hyping up the next group and Kristin, the only female member of the group, introduced them properly. Amy already knew who they were going to be, based on the gossip they've heard from the stagehands earlier.

It was time for the Rhythmashers to steal the spotlight.

* * *

Flo looked partially confused with the first few beats of the song as Rhythmashers jumped straight into their performance. It was a mix of beats of two songs she knew she had heard before. One was a song used in _Slumdog Millionaire_ and the other one was, well, what was it again?

_I never needed you to be strong  
I never needed you for pointing out my wrongs  
I never needed pain, I never needed strain  
My love for you was strong enough you should've known_

Flo had her 'aha!' moment when the group started singing. The other song was "Hush Hush" and the artist they were assigned was none other than the Pussycat Dolls.

_Almost forgot they existed…_ she thought to herself.

_I never needed you for judgement  
I never needed you to question what I spent  
I never asked for help, I take care of myself  
I don't know why you think you got a hold on me_

_And it's a little late for conversations  
There isn't anything for you to say  
And my eyes hurt, hands shiver  
So look at me and listen to me because_

Rhythmashers had nearly the same number of members as DSM. Somewhere around 14 to 20, she never really patiently counted, all of different ages and backgrounds. They were all paired off appropriately for their performance, with two one pair being comprised of two men, one shorter than the other, due to the ratio of men to women members of their group. Their choreography was mostly ballroom dancing inspired for the first song. From what she can tell, each pair were playing of each other pretty well too, as if they were purposefully put together based on each other's chemistry.

They weren't dressed in their usually colorful ensemble this time too. Instead, the ladies were all in either black, grey, navy blue, or silver sequined dresses, ones that hugged their figures in all the right ways and whose hems were most definitely way above their knees, while the men were in dress shirts with muted tones as well.

The Voicenotes weren't the only group going for the sexy-factor.

_I don't want to  
Stay another minute  
I don't want you  
To say a single word  
Hush Hush, Hush Hush  
There is no other way  
I get the final say, because  
I don't want to  
Do this any longer  
I don't want you  
There's nothing left to say  
Hush Hush, Hush Hush  
I've already spoken  
Our love is broken  
Baby Hush Hush_

Their choreography was also rather polished, as Aubrey couldn't help herself but point out. Their synchronicity was much better than the Voicenotes, and their transitions were as smooth and silky. Mixing beats of the previous song with the next one in just the right ways that even Beca looked impressed.

Rhythmashers really stepped up their game.

_(Wait a minute)  
Girl, why you do me like that?  
You take all my money  
Can't even call a player back  
(Wait a minute)  
Boy, why you tripping like that?  
You think 'cause you tricking you get it just like that?  
(Wait a minute)_

_(Wait a minute)  
Girl, why you do me like that?  
You take all my money  
Can't even call a player back  
(Wait a minute)  
Boy, why you tripping like that?  
You think 'cause you tricking you get it just like that?  
(Wait a minute)_

_Uh yeah, you can give me that back_

Cynthia Rose let out a whistle, and Flo didn't have to guess why. The pairs interacted well with parts of the song, with the men taking over Timbaland's part of the song partially in chorus, and the ladies singing the Dolls' parts the same way, as if they were having an actual melodious conversation. The only ones who didn't take part of it were members who were positioned downstage, tasked with carrying the harmony.

The transition to the next song was rather impressive, with the men mostly taking over the duties of mixing the beats and harmonies. Their mezzo-soprano took the lead, backed up by a select few of the ladies doing ad libs here and there.

The performance oozed sex appeal but in a less direct way than the Voicenotes did. It was almost a classy act of seduction that commanded the crowd's attention.

_I'm telling you to loosen up my buttons, babe (Uh-huh!)  
But you keep fronting, uh  
Sayin' what you gon' do to me (Uh-huh!)  
But I ain't seen nothing  
I'm telling you to loosen up my buttons, babe (Uh-huh!)  
But you keep fronting, uh  
Sayin' what you gon' do to me (Uh-huh!)  
But I ain't seen nothing_

And for the most part, Rhythmashers did hold everyone's attention. Flo couldn't help but bite her lips to suppress a chuckle as she did her best to ignore Stacie teasing Aubrey. Aubrey was shaking her head, fighting off a smile as Stacie quietly sang along to the lyrics of the song to her.

_Loosen up my buttons, babe  
Loosen up my buttons, babe  
Baby, won't you loosen up my buttons, babe?  
Loosen up my buttons, babe  
Come on baby, loosen up my buttons, babe  
Loosen up my buttons, babe  
Baby, won't you loosen up my buttons, babe?  
Loosen up my buttons, babe_

_I'm telling you to_

They transition off to the next song in their medley perfectly, adding a dash of theatricality to their choreography too. The guys have grouped off together, with the gals occupying the other side of the stage. A new female lead took over, singing as if she was telling the guys off, backed up by her girlfriends while the guys stuck to more of the supporting role.

_The more you try  
The less I buy it  
And I don't have to think it through  
You know if I'm into you_

_I don't need a man to make it happen  
I get off being free  
I don't need a man to make me feel good  
I get off doing my thing  
I don't need a ring around my finger  
To make me feel complete  
So, let me break it down  
I can get off when you ain't around, oh!_

Rhythmashers laydown a complex set of beats as the group transition into the next segment with some pretty impressive step sequence to get everyone to position. The group was once more mixed together, although not paired off as one of their male leads took over. Flo had to admit, the group considered everything there was to consider as she admired the symmetry of their blocking on stage.

_I can't take it any longer  
Thought that we were stronger  
All we do is linger  
Slipping through our fingers  
I don't wanna try now  
All that's left is good-bye  
To find a way that I can tell you_

_I hate this part right here  
I hate this part right here  
I just can't take your tears  
I hate this part right here_

The group started pairing off again as they jump straight into the next song. Like last time, the girls sang PCD's parts in chorus, most of the guys laying down the foundations of the song.

_'Cause they only want  
Only want my ha, ha-ha  
Ha, ha-ha  
Only want what they want  
But, na, ah-ah  
Na, ah-ah_

Another one of their male leads took over for will. 's part, with the rest of the guys making a beeping noise for the suggestive part of the song. Flo was briefly distracted during this part as both Beca and Chloe tried to shield Emily's view of the screen again, some of the dance sequence being a little too suggestive. The two looked rather amused by Emily's annoyance. Stacie even got up from where she was sitting on the armrest of Aubrey's chair – she had gotten up earlier to mingle with some of their famous guests – and tried to casually stand in front of Emily to shield her from the "impure visuals" on screen.

"I'm pretty sure I've been well corrupted after living with you and Amy for a year," Emily retorted – a comment that earned a gasp from Beca and prompted Cynthia Rose to lecture her to never ever say she's been "corrupted" ever again. Stacie and Amy both looked shocked, the two feigning indignation from Emily's remark. Legacy was, well, Legacy, in the end and she dialed it back down.

_It's funny how a man only thinks about the... [BEEP]  
You got a real big heart, but I'm looking at your... [BEEP]  
You got real big brains, but I'm looking at your... [BEEP]  
Girl, there ain't no pain in me looking at your..._

_I don't give a...  
Keep looking at my... [BEEP]  
'Cause it don't mean a thing if you're looking at my... [BEEP]  
Ha I'm a do my thing while you're playing with your... [BEEP]  
Ha, ha-ha, ha-ha, ha-ha_

By the time their antics were concluded, Rhythmashers were already halfway through their next song in the medley.

_When my bottle pop, shake me_

_When my bottle pop (Bottle)  
When my bottle pop (Bottle)  
When my bottle pop (Bottle)  
When my bottle pop, shake me_

The group's resident beatboxer did his best to imitate the sound of a bottle shattering as the group transitioned from "Battle Pop" to "When I Grow Up." One of their tenors stepped up and took the lead.

_When I grow up  
I wanna be famous  
I wanna be a star  
I wanna be in movies_

_When I grow up  
I wanna see the world  
Drive nice cars  
I wanna have groupies_

Halfway through the performance, the Bellas heard a knock on their door. Rhian, who was still with the group, watching the performance from their dressing room, opened the door. The stage manager came to inform the Bellas that they need to start final preparations and reminded them of when they needed to head out to the waiting area on their side of the stage.

_When I grow up  
Be on TV  
People know me  
Be on magazines  
When I grow up_

_Fresh and clean  
Number one chick  
When I step out on the scene  
Be careful what you wish for  
'Cause you just might get it  
You just might get it  
You just might get it_

The Bellas all got up, lined up in front of the mirror, each checking that they're looks were all still on point. Jessica and Ashley retouched a bit of their make-up. Stacie was fussing over Aubrey's hair while Aubrey herself smoothened some of the creases on her outfit, ones left by Stacie sitting on her lap. The Rhythmashers' performance all but forgotten, even when their rendition of some of the Pussycat Dolls' hits continued to fill the room.

_Now, if your dude ain't acting right  
You tell that dude he got to go  
If that dude be claiming that he broke  
You tell that dude he got to go  
If he want you to stay in the house everyday and night  
Tell him he got to go  
If he wanna run the streets then you run the streets too  
And you tell him he got to go_

An impressive transition of remixed beats played in the background as Aubrey gathered the Bellas in a circle. Rhian excused herself, whispering some final reminders in Beca's ears – probably with regards to dealing with the Kommissar. Stacie was playfully singing along to the current song in the medley while the Bellas all wrapped up their final touches, each one of them eventually joining Stacie with her sing-along, exchanging looks with each other. Flo could tell that everyone was excited and were trying to get rid of some of the nerves that tried to fight its way to take hold of them.

_Don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me?  
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me?  
Don't cha?  
Don't cha?  
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was raw like me?  
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was fun like me?  
Don't cha?  
Don't cha?_

Flo took a deep breath. Rhythmashers pulled off another natural transition into their next song. They were going all out on this one, from what Flo could hear, her back turned against the screen. This might be their grand finale.

_When I get messed up at the party  
I make a scene and get upset  
But when I wake up in the morning  
You bring me breakfast in bed  
And act like there's nothing to forget_

_Maybe I should count my blessings  
That you're just that type  
So call me masochistic  
But sometimes I want to fight_

Aubrey gathered the Bellas' attention, giving them one final pep talk and offering the floor to each of the girls, reminding them to ignore any of DSM's obvious attempts at rattling them while looking at Beca specifically. Beca simply nodded, an eyebrow twitching for being singled out, before reminding everyone that most important thing of all.

"When we get out there, let's just all have some fun. We don't know when we'll get to perform all together again, after all," Aubrey concluded. Jessica and Ashley looked like they were about to get emotional. Chloe was all glassy-eyed too. Flo herself wiped away a tear before Cynthia Rose initiated their group hug.

_Every time I leave you pull me closer  
I hang up the phone, you call me back  
Why don't you mess me 'round  
Like you're supposed to?  
You're turning me cruel  
'Cause I'm just wanting you to react_

_Looking for a little confrontation  
Now I know the nice guys turn me bad  
The less you do, the more it makes me crazy  
You're turning me cruel  
'Cause I'm just wanting you to react_

The Bellas clung onto each other for a few good minutes before letting each other go with smiles on their faces.

_Hey, hey, hey (Don't cha)  
Hey, hey, hey, hey (Don't cha)  
Hey, hey, hey (Don't cha)  
You're turning me cruel  
'Cause I'm just wanting you to react_

No one had to say anything at all. Rhythmashers performance concluded. The Bellas were about to be called up in the waiting area to get prepped with their mics and stuff, and get a front row seat of DSM's performance too. But there was no look of fear or hesitation in the Bellas eyes, only fire.

A fire that fueled their desire to win this thing, and their passion for being _the_ definitive group of Barden Bellas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How you'll doing, folks? Enjoying the finals so far? The snippets of the Bellas as they watch the performance?
> 
> Who's your fave celeb name drop so far? Do let me know. Side note, Rihanna legitimately is a fan of Paulo Dybala. That was something I did not make up. She's shown up to watch Juventus matches in their home stadium before as well. As for Mbappe and Neymar showing up together (for those who did not know), they both currently play for Paris St. Germain (PSG). Mbappe won the World Cup with France back in 2018.
> 
> The mega-mix that inspired this round has been added to the playlist at the link below.
> 
> www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbWZQ6nwYXxFjX9z3vft3leEz7dN9K_5


	26. Mother Monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three down, one more to go before the Bellas take the stage for the finals. The last three contestants all gave their hearts out, some stole breaths and heated up the stage for the competition, and one other lost their breaths trying. 
> 
> Next up? None other than their most hated rivals, Das Sound Machine, with DSM just about ready to set the bar impossibly high.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is DSM's chapter but I love this chapter so much.
> 
> I think it's fairly obvious who the assigned artist is for DSM. That said, I love her so much too.
> 
> Enjoy.
> 
> Next chapter is coming up on Sunday. I've been pulling double duty at work because some people are quarantining after being exposed to someone else COVID positive the last few days so I've had less time to write and have been spending more time in the lab to help run some of my out-of-commission colleagues. I'm okay though.

Stacie was deep at thought as the Bellas got outfitted for their mics and systems. They were all gathered at a station a few feet away from some of the DSM members waiting for their introduction. Their nemesis were focused only on their upcoming performance, which thankfully meant that the Bellas were temporarily spared of any interactions with them.

Pentatonix was back to their usual hosting duties, recapping the previous performance by Rhythmashers. Stacie had to admit, they could be a dark horse for the competition she solely considered to be between DSM and the Bellas. Vocal-sity could easily be counted out. While they did their best to bring the energy to their performance, they easily burnt out. The Voicenotes had better melodies. Their harmony was so smooth and easy on the ears, but their synchronicity with the choreography was a bit off. They had upbeats tunes, sure enough, but they didn't exactly bring the high energy that Stacie would have expected the judges were looking for, instead focusing on the sex appeal to make up for things and deter the crowd from the imperfections of their performance.

Rhythmashers had pretty good transitions, although not as near perfect as the Voicenotes, and they brought the energy to their performance. Choreography was pretty good too, with only a few off-timing movement here and there. Should DSM or the Bellas falter, they could surge to be the favorites.

But like hell will the Bellas falter.

"What are you thinking?" Amy asked just as Mitch from Pentatonix introduced DSM. Stacie saw one of the stage hands give Luisa bowler hat and a cane that reminded Stacie of the ones ringmasters used as the group headed onto the stage and got into position.

"How sweet it would be to beat DSM in this contest twice," Stacie replied with a smile before the Bellas were ushered to their waiting spot.

Time for the penultimate performance.

* * *

DSM were scattered all over the stage. They were making their presence known and felt from the get go, utilizing every space available to them. Each of them held their pose from where they stood, with Luisa standing way at the back. In their outfits, they looked pretty intimidating, rebellious even with their leather jackets and leather glove on their left arm that went up the sleeves of their jacket. How far up it went up, Aubrey wasn't sure.

The Kommissar tipped her bowler hat at an angle, spotlight flashed on her.

_At this point I've got to choose, nothing to lose_

Luisa sand the first line of the song, her voice the only one carrying any note before DSM started the beats of "Alejandro" mixed with what Aubrey could tell to be "Bad Romance." It would seem that the artist that they were assigned was Lady Gaga.

Luisa moved from her position and stood straight, a fierce and piercing look cast straight into the audience. The rest of DSM followed, like soldiers marching to their own tune in place.

_You know that I love you, boy  
Hot, like Mexico, rejoice  
At this point, I've gotta choose  
Nothing to lose_

The Kommissar went on to sing, walking past the members in front of her, interacting with them – either tipping their chin up with her cane, or walking past them and brushing her hand down an arm or the small of their back. She jumped straight into the chorus once reaching center stage, DSM backing her up and dancing along to their choreography.

_Don't call my name, don't call my name, Alejandro  
I'm not your babe, I'm not your babe, Fernando  
Don't wanna kiss, don't wanna touch  
Just smoke my cigarette and hush  
Don't call my name, don't call my name, Roberto  
Alejandro, Alejandro  
(Alejandro)  
Ale-Alejandro, Ale-Alejandro  
(Don't call my name, Don't call my name)  
Alejandro, Alejandro  
(Alejandro)  
Ale-Alejandro, Ale-Alejandro  
(Don't wanna kiss, don't wanna touch)_

DSM does pretty well with their first segment as the groups start weaving various melodies together and start to move around and partner off. The Kommissar and her right hand man, Pieter, lead things at the center, as she sticks with singing "Alejandro." Meanwhile, the young woman dressed in a gothic Lolita outfit during the Halloween bash started singing lines of "LoveGame." Until Lolita – the name Aubrey decided to stick with since she doesn't actually know what the girl's name was – took over with "LoveGame."

_Alejandro, Alejandro_

_A LoveGame, a LoveGame_

_Ale-Alejandro, Ale-Alejandro_

_A LoveGame, a LoveGame_

_(Alejandro, Alejandro)_

_Hold me and love me  
Just wanna touch you for a minute  
Maybe three seconds is enough for my heart to quit it_

Lolita continues to take charge, and DSM throw in some daring choreography as Adonis, her dance partner who was strangely enough wearing a short black wig styled as a bob, lifts her up in the air started tossing and catching her as she sang. Aubrey would deny it, should anyone ask, but her jaws most definitely dropped in awed at how seemingly effortless they were pulling this off.

_Let's play a LoveGame, play a LoveGame  
Do you want love, or you want fame?  
Are you in the game?  
Dans the LoveGame_

_Let's play a LoveGame, play a LoveGame  
Do you want love, or you want fame?  
Are you in the game?  
Dans the LoveGame_

Aubrey managed to recompose herself as Luisa throws in an ad lib of "Alejandro" while marching back to the center of the stage. She was being followed by Pieter who, in his expected highly theatrical fashion, sings a line from "Bad Romance." The Kommissar turned to him and the two have an exchange of lines from various songs, with Luisa sticking with the first one from their medley and Pieter acting like a chameleon to deliver his lines from various different songs.

_Alejandro, Alejandro_

_Work it, move, that bitch crazy_

_Ale-Alejandro, Ale-Alejandro_

_Po-po-poker face, po-po-poker face (mum-mum-mum-mah)_

_Alejandro, Alejandro_

_Spin that record babe_

_Want your bad romance_

All this time the rest of DSM support them, flawlessly transitioning between the harmonies of the different songs carrying out a seemingly jagged step sequence. Pieter eventually falls back behind the Kommissar as she raises her cane. DSM transitions into the beats of Bad Romance. They stop dancing, standing still as if they were soldiers commanded by their leader.

_Ra-ra-ah-ah-ah  
Roma-roma-ma  
Gaga, "Ooh la-la"  
Want your bad romance  
Ra-ra-ah-ah-ah  
Roma-roma-ma  
Gaga, "Ooh la-la"  
Want your bad romance_

Luisa once again takes over the lead vocals. The entire group jump into their next sequence with Lady gaga-inspired choreography.

_I want your love, and I want your revenge  
You and me could write a bad romance (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)  
I want your love, and all your lover's revenge  
You and me could write a bad romance  
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh  
Caught in a bad romance  
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh  
Caught in a bad romance_

The group then start changing the beats and transition into the next song smoothly – both in terms of vocals and choreography. Kommissar stands still in the center of the stage and holds a pose, her cane pointing at Lolita as the younger woman starts singing the lyrics of the next song.

_Half psychotic, sick, hypnotic  
Got my blueprint, it's symphonic  
Half psychotic, sick, hypnotic  
Got my blueprint electronic_

Luisa tosses the cane over to Lolita as she joins the rest of her team. Lolita in the meantime gives it her all as she dances to her own choreography with the cane as she sings, the creepy twins along with Pieter and Kommissar backing her up with ad libs.

_Just dance (ooh yeah), gonna be okay, da da doo-doo-mmm  
Just dance (ooh yeah), spin that record babe, da da doo-doo-mmm  
Just dance (oh), gonna be okay, d-d-d-dance (gonna be okay)  
Dance, dance (yeah)  
Just, j-j-just dance (oh)_

_Baby  
(Spin that record babe)  
Baby  
(Gonna be okay)  
Spin that record babe_

The group repeats one more round of chorus and Aubrey noticed the beats slowly blending in the background once again. "Just Dance" was being seamlessly mixed with "Poker Face." Luisa rejoins Lolita just as younger girl threw the cane aside. Eventually Lolita rejoined the rest of DSM as she wrapped up her solo, and the group shift around the background to find where they needed to be before the start of the next segment, with Luisa taking the lead for "Poker Face."

_Wish I could shut my playboy mouth_

_And we're all gettin' hosed tonight_

_I won't tell you that I love you, kiss, or hug you  
'Cause I'm bluffin' with my muffin  
I'm not lying, I'm just stunnin' with my love-glue gunning  
Just like a chick in the casino  
Take your bank before I pay you out  
I promise this, promise this  
Check this hand 'cause I'm marvelous_

Kommissar used her bowler hat for parts of the choreography of "Poker Face," holding the hat in front of her face every now and then as part of her sequence. DSM backed her up well, slowly incorporating the beats for the next song as Luisa wrapped up her lead.

_Can't read my, can't read my  
No, he can't read my poker face  
(She's got me like nobody)  
Can't read my, can't read my  
No, he can't read my poker face  
(She's got me like nobody)_

_Po-po-poker face, po-po-poker face (mum-mum-mum-mah)_

They repeat the chorus once more before they jump in to the next song with Pieter taking the lead, acting like a deranged fan of the Kommissar. They have a choreographed dramatic chase incorporated to their dance too, while the rest of DSM carried out their steps, taking turned to look starstruck whenever Luisa would pass them by.

_Baby, you'll be famous  
Chase you down until you love me  
Papa-paparazzi_

_I'm your biggest fan  
I'll follow you until you love me  
Papa-paparazzi  
Baby, there's no other superstar  
You know that I'll be  
Your papa-paparazzi  
Promise I'll be kind  
But I won't stop until that girl is mine  
Baby, you'll be famous  
Chase you down until you love me  
Papa-paparazzi_

Luisa tossed the bowler hat backwards and the rest of DSM dove towards the direction only to recover quickly on their feet to carry out their next set of choreography on top of performing a medley of harmonies from Lady Gaga's "The Fame" album. In the midst of all this, Adonis and Pieter slickly find their way to opposite sides of the stage, performing ad libs from "G.U.Y" and "Paparazzi".

_Nein zedd  
(Don't stop)  
Nein zedd  
(Don't stop)  
Nein zedd  
(We're plastic but we'll still have fun)_

DSM were really giving their all, putting out a show for the crowd as if they were here for their concert and not a competition. Luisa once again occupied center stage as the melodies shift to a new song.

_Beautiful and dirty, dirty, rich, rich, bang bang_

Lolita approaches Luisa and the two interact as Lolita briefly takes over.

_Look at them dirty rich boys  
Look at them dirty rich girls  
Playing with all them beautiful and dirty, dirty rich toys_

The two of them share a duet with the twins backing them up.

_Bang bang  
We're beautiful and dirty rich  
(Dirty, dirty, rich, dirty, dirty, rich, beautiful)  
Bang bang  
We're beautiful and dirty rich  
(Beautiful and dirty, dirty, rich, rich, bang bang)_

As DSM jumped into the next song, Adonis came rushing in from his side of the stage, taking over to have his solo, pulling out some ballet moves as he stole the show.

_Touch me, touch me, don't be sweet  
Love me, love me, please retreat  
Let me be the girl under you that makes you cry_

Adonis continued to occupy the center of the stage and dance, spelling out "G.U.Y" when appropriate while Luisa and Pieter take over the chorus with a duet.

_I wanna be that guy (G. U.Y.)  
I wanna be that guy (G. U.Y.)  
I wanna be that guy (G. U.Y.)  
The girl under you (guy)_

"I wasn't expecting that," Aubrey heard Beca say to Chloe behind her. "Who knew tall and intimidating had such finesse?"

"Are you gonna start complimenting him too?" Chloe asked with chuckle, teasing Beca.

"Eh, not really my type," she replied in time for DSM to strip off their leather jackets. They tossed the piece of clothing to the opposing sides of the stage before they transitioned into Telephone with choreography inspired by the music video. The twins briefly led the efforts before Luisa and Lolita took over the chorus with another duet.

_Eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh  
Eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh  
Eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh_

_Stop callin', stop callin'  
I don't wanna think any more  
I left my head and heart on the dance floor  
Stop callin', stop callin'  
I don't wanna talk anymore  
I got my head and my heart on the dance floor_

The creepy twins once again take over as DSM shift around the stage. Even during moments between transitions, their synchronicity was near absolute perfection, Aubrey found it hard to take her eyes off of them. It was in this moment that she noticed that the leather gloves they wore actually went up to an inch just below their elbows and were held onto their arms using Velcro straps with buckles to create the illusion that they were fastened by some kind of belt lock instead.

_Call all you want, but there's no one home  
And you're not gonna reach my telephone  
Out in the club, and I'm sippin' that bub  
And you're not gonna reach my telephone_

DSM naturally transitioned into their next segment, with Adonis once again taking center stage with his dance moves while the twins lead their efforts.

_Don't be a drag, just be a queen  
Whether you're broke or evergreen  
You're black, white, beige, chola descent  
You're Lebanese, you're orient  
Whether life's disabilities  
Left you outcast, bullied, or teased  
Rejoice and love yourself today  
'Cause baby you were born this way_

Luisa took over with the next bit. Members of DSM removed their gloves as she sang, revealing various lines of words and phrases written on their skin. From traits they were insecure with to various pride flags as well as flags of the countries they were born in. The camera crew strategically set around the stage zoomed in on them for the broadcast which was also shown on screens behind DSM, putting an emphasis on this detail.

Aubrey had to hand it to them. That was a brilliant move for DSM's part, and it annoyed Aubrey to see the genius of it be pulled off by their archrivals.

_No matter gay, straight, or bi,  
Lesbian, transgendered life,  
I'm on the right track baby,  
I was born to survive.  
No matter black, white or beige  
Chola or orient made,  
I'm on the right track baby,  
I was born to be brave._

_I'm beautiful in my way  
'Cause God makes no mistakes  
I'm on the right track, baby  
I was born this way_

A third of DSM joined the chorus as they form a semi-circle stance around the middle of the stage. Adonis rejoined his team, allowing for other members of the group to showcase their own individuality in the form of a freestyle dance. The rest of them mostly stuck with simple movements and steps in the semi-circle. They didn't want to detract focus from the member showcasing their moves, and it allowed for them to rest and recover a little from the performance they've been giving.

_Don't hide yourself in regret  
Just love yourself and you're set  
I'm on the right track, baby  
I was born this way_

_Ooh, there ain't no other way,  
Baby, I was born this way  
Baby, I was born this way_

_Ooh, there ain't no other way,  
Baby, I was born this way  
I'm on the right track, baby,  
I was born this way_

The last few members to jump in the middle were the twins, who performed a sequence together, Lolita, Pieter, and then Luisa.

_I was born this way, hey  
I was born this way, hey  
I'm on the right track, baby,  
I was born this way, hey_

After the Kommissar was done, Adonis once again took center stage and performed his own freestyle dance, one ending with him pulling off his black wig, to reveal more wigs of different colors underneath. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and then violet. He slowly and dramatically removed the last – violet – one to unveil multi-colored confetti raining down on him. He timed this with the last line of the song.

_I was born this way, hey  
I was born this way, hey  
I'm on the right track, baby,  
I was born this way, hey_

How he managed to pull off all the crazy choreography with all the wigs and confetti he was wearing was beyond Aubrey's comprehension, but she wasn't given much time to process much of the performance as DSM jump straight into a mash-up of melodies from "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" and "You and I" with Adonis throwing in an ad lib of the latter.

_You, you and I, you, you and I, I_

The mash-up doesn't last long as Kommissar jumps into position at center stage and DSM transition into the next song with some high energy dance sequence.

_I'm on the edge of glory_

_And I'm hanging on a moment of truth  
Out on the edge of glory  
And I'm hanging on a moment with you  
I'm on the edge, the edge, the edge  
The edge, the edge, the edge, the edge_

_I'm on the edge of glory  
And I'm hanging on a moment with you  
I'm on the edge with you_

Aubrey checked the time on the watch on her wrist. They were nearly thirteen minutes in and DSM didn't look tired at all.

_m-m-m-marry the night_

_I'm gonna marry (marry)  
the night_

_I'm gonna marry the night  
I'm not gonna cry anymore  
I'm gonna marry the night  
Leave nothing on these streets to explore  
M-m-m-marry m-m-m-marry m-m-m-marry the night  
Oh m-m-marry m-m-m-marry m-m-m-marry the night_

Lolita backed Luisa up, the two sharing a brief duet in the "marry the night" bits of the song. Meanwhile the rest of the group were still dancing perfectly synchronized. Not one of them providing beats, back-ups, melodies were out of breath or singing out of tune. Aubrey looked around to see the Bellas watching intently. She smiled to herself as she saw the fire in their eyes. They weren't scared or intimidated at all by the nearly inhuman feat their rivals were pulling off. She couldn't help but be proud of that mentality.

_M-m-m-marry m-m-m-marry m-m-m-marry the night  
Oh m-m-marry m-m-m-marry m-m-m-marry the night_

DSM jump into the next song with Pieter taking the lead. They shuffle around the stage in perfectly choreographed motion while their most dramatic member became the center of attention, the creepy twins backing him up along with Luisa.

_I'm just a holy fool, oh, baby, it's so cruel  
But I'm still in love with Judas, baby  
I'm just a holy fool, oh, baby, it's so cruel  
But I'm still in love with Judas, baby  
Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa  
I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as  
Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa  
I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as_

The beats start turning into mash-up again. The twins sing the next lines of the song while they get into position towards the back of the stage. Luisa and Pieter meanwhile take their place up front.

It was time for their grand finale.

_In the most biblical sense  
I am beyond repentance  
Fame, hooker, prostitute wench vomits her mind  
But in the cultural sense  
I just speak in future tense  
Judas, kiss me if offenced  
Or wear ear condom next time_

DSM give it their all for the last few seconds of being under the spotlight. Aubrey could see it, their desire to win.

_I live for the applause, applause, applause  
I live for the applause-plause, live for the applause-plause, live for the-  
Way that you cheer and scream for me  
The applause, applause, applause_

The performance finish and the crowd erupted in thunderous applause. Aubrey knew for sure they picked that song for the finale of their medley on purpose.

DSM brought the house down.

Was Aubrey fazed?

Not at all.

She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Sure, DSM just showed that they have what it took to win this thing. They were nothing less but perfect, and that's what the Bellas had to beat. They've trained their body, mind, and soul for this moment. Sure, they had some intervals where the energy dipped but they used it to showcase vocal chops, theatricality, or individual talent that Aubrey doubted that the audience or the judges would have minded much.

But the Bellas also had all of that too, Aubrey believed it. She saw it as they spent hours upon hours on video calls and sacrificing their own PTOs for short stolen days where they could all be there, hone their bodies, master their choreography and synchronicity, run vocal drills, and dedicate whatever time they could to hone their skills for this one final moment.

Aubrey wouldn't want it to be the Bellas swan song, she dared not believe this would be their last time to perform together.

But if it was? They were ready to step up and deliver whatever it was needed to beat acapella performance perfection.

Because at the end, it will shine through. That special bond they share with each other when they serve up music that's not just simply made from their mouths, but one that also came from every beat of their hearts.

_Aca-game on._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> True confessions, I felt like I ran a marathon writing this chapter :P
> 
> Anyways…
> 
> Can you guys believe we have the Bellas' chapter next? Time moves so fast sometimes… wonder who the artist assigned to them is. Hint, they've performed snippets of her song in past movies and, oh, I don't know, a surprise video upload to YouTube, maybe…
> 
> Who's excited? I know I am.
> 
> Anyways, the mega-mix that inspired this chapter is added to the playlist at the link below. I've made a few changes, but the performance mostly follows the mega-mix.
> 
> www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbWZQ6nwYXxFjX9z3vft3leEz7dN9K_5
> 
> PS: I based Adonis from DSM on Mark Kanemura. He was one of Lady Gaga's back-up dancers (you can spot him in a few music videos). He does the bit with the wig, dancing to the tune of different songs, and posts it on social every now and then.


	27. Queen B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's finally the Bellas turn for the finals. One last chance to win this, one last moment to perform together.
> 
> Do they have what it takes to beat their competition and be crowned the champions amongst the best teams the world of acapella has to offer?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah! It's finally the Bellas' turn! And we get Bechloe's POV here too ;)
> 
> Wonder who their artist is? The chapter title couldn't be anymore vague… hmmm…
> 
> Kidding aside, expect a few reprisals of past songs ;)
> 
> All of the last few chapters were fun to write but I think I ascended to heaven writing this chapter as well as the Brittney Spears one because of listening to multiple different mash-ups/mixes and combining them. See below which ones inspired this one.

Beca smirked as some of DSM's members had to be escorted off the stage. Although they were allowed to enter the stage from both sides, the organizers didn't allow them to exit and run into the Bellas, mess with them a little. They still tried though, hence why the stage hands intervened, blocked their way, turned them around and pointed them to the right direction. Beca couldn't help herself but be all smug by their embarrassing moment of having to cross the stage once more to head to the right exit. She even waved goodbye to Kommissar who didn't look too pleased that they ended up being manhandled just a little off the side of the stage still partly visible to the crowd.

Pentatonix once again took to the stage to take over their hosting duties. One more round, and they'll have their last moments on the stage, that is, when they declare the winners.

Coincidentally, one more round is what it was for the Bellas as well. Beca took a deep breath, one she slowly released to calm her nerves. Over the years, she's gotten used to the mixed fluttery feelings – her excitement and nervousness – that she felt before taking to the stage.

But this was different. This was special.

It always was different with the Bellas. And it was always special in their own way, but this time around was just a little bit extra special. This might be the last chance Beca got to perform with all girls after all.

The Bellas were her family, and no matter what happens next, win or lose, another chance to perform again or not, they will always be hers. This time around, she promised herself, that she would do her best to keep the bonds that bound them together strong. That even when they won't be performing together as the Bellas anymore, they would still be there for each other. A real family that has weathered many storms.

But more than that, she promised that this time around, they would do things right. Their final performance together – or at least what she thought was their final performance – was unplanned and rushed. It was her own impromptu decision to call the Bellas to the stage with her. It didn't felt like a proper goodbye. After all, goodbye promised that another day would come for them to say hello again. No, the last time felt so abrupt, as if they forced to part ways. As if life decided to tear them apart without them even knowing it. The real last time – during the tour – didn't feel like it either, because none of them knew that was it. The impromptu performance when they were abducted didn't count either.

This was their chance now. For a proper goodbye the stage, a proper chance to say farewell doing the things they love, putting on a performance they would be proud of. They were doing this on their own terms, and winning it all would be the damned cherry on top.

After Pentatonix finished their schpill, Scott, the group's Baritone, stepped up to introduced the Bellas.

Beca exchanged reaffirming looks with her friends and headed onto the stage with smiles on her faces. The stage lights dimmed. As they get themselves positioned on the stage, Beca stole one last glance from Chloe who she caught already looking at her. Beca took another deep breath and glanced at the audience before her.

One last show with her girls.

One where they'll be giving everything they've got and more.

_Showtime._

* * *

Things started off simple, heartfelt. The Bellas all stood center stage, like a choir about to perform. Lilly dropped the beats, Jessica and Ashley supported the foundations with their expertly crafted harmony for "Halo" before the rest of the Bellas pitched in their efforts to create a masterfully done mash-up of melodies of Beyoncé's greatest hits, including some from her Destiny's Child days – Aubrey checked with the organizers if they could do that immediately after getting their assigned artist and they said yes.

Stacie, Amy, and Beca then threw in ad libs from some of Beyoncé's songs as the Bellas broke into their step sequences and branched off from the center to occupy the stage fully.

_Can you handle this?_

_Can you keep up?_

_I'm a, I'm a a diva (hey)  
I'm a, I'm a a diva (hey)_

_Can you handle this?_

_Can you keep up?_

They then jumped into their first song. Emily, Beca, Aubrey, and Chloe herself sand the chorus of "Bills, Bills, Bills" while the rest of the Bellas backed them up. All of them danced their way to their positions and their blocking. Allowing for Lilly, Jessica, and Ashley to stay at center stage so they can easily jump into their segment afterwards.

_Can you pay my bills?  
Can you pay my telephone bills?  
Do you pay my automo' bills?  
If you did then maybe we could chill  
I don't think you do  
So, you and me are through_

Flo and Amy supported Lilly with the beats and melodies as they allowed Jessica and Ashley have their moment to take charge and lead the Bellas with their duet.

_Say my name, say my name  
If no one is around you  
Say baby I love you  
If you ain't runnin' game  
OoOooh_

The two easily blended with the back-up as they instantly transitioned to the next song, allowing Emily and Flo to take charge.

_Ladies leave your man at home  
The club is full of ballers and their pockets full grown  
And all you fellas leave your girl with her friends  
Cause it's eleven thirty and the club is jumpin', jumpin'_

Beca, Stacie, and Amy joined them as they wrapped up the segment. The Bellas constantly being on the move, mindful for their placement on the stage. They worked a lot on smooth transitions between their choreography and their melodies, Stacie keeping a watchful eye when they practiced their choreography to make sure that not one movement was one second too fast or slow. Their synchronicity was on another level now, and Chloe couldn't help but be proud.

_Though he say he got a girl  
Yeah it's true you got a man  
But the party ain't gon' stop  
So let's make it hot, hot_

Flo parted ways with Emily and took lead for the next segment, owning her moment under the spotlight to shine.

_Now that you're outta my life, I'm so much better  
You thought that I'd be weak without ya, but I'm stronger  
You thought that I'd be broke without ya, but I'm richer_

Lilly was also working hard to mix the beats with Jessica and Ashley. The three of them were the backbone of their performance. While they don't have that much in terms of solos, they were literally the foundation the Bellas had for all the smooth and silky natural transitions that Beca's set-list demanded for.

Amy then jumped into center stage, twerking a bit as she stole the show with her dance moves, a seductive wink thrown in for good measure.

_'Cause my body too bootylicious for ya, babe_

_Paparaparum pare  
Paparaparum pare_

The Bellas backed her up and masterfully mixed the vocalizations between "Bootylicious" and "Crazy in Love." During the sequence, Chloe's eyes landed on where Beyoncé and Jay- Z sat and couldn't help but feel a surge of confidence when she saw the impressed look on Queen B.

_Pa-Parapaparapa  
Parapaparapa_

_I look and stare so deep in your eyes (I...)  
I touch on you more and more every time  
When you leave, I'm begging you not to go  
Call your name, two, three times in a row_

Chloe took the lead with her solo, giving it her all and inspired with that confidence boost.

_Got me looking so crazy right now (Pa-)  
Your love's got me looking so crazy right now (Parapaparapa)  
(Your love)  
Got me looking so crazy right now (Pa-)  
Your touch got me looking so crazy right now (Parapaparapa)  
(Your touch)_

_Looking so crazy, your love's got me looking  
Got me looking so crazy in love_

Her switch off with Aubrey for her' best friend's solo was done so naturally after that. The Bellas were on top of their game, no one slowing down at all despite the high energy performance they were giving, as required by the step sequence they had for each segment. Yet another thing she was proud of. The Bellas worked really hard to build up their stamina for this performance, and it was paying off.

_Baby boy, you stay on my mind  
Fulfill my fantasies  
I think about you all the time_

The rest of the Bellas provided their contribution for the melodies to help support Jessica, Ashley, and Lilly. Smoothly switching on and off the back-up vocals depending on the performance. This allowed Jessica and Ashley to provide back up and ad libs for Stacie's solo. Stacie, for her part, did not disappoint, heating up the stage with her moves without the need for stripping down, unlike the Voicenotes did. Chloe for sure saw a few jaws dropping from a couple of guys and gals on the first few rows.

_(I love to love you baby)_

_Tonight I'll be your naughty girl  
I'm callin' all my girls  
We're gonna turn this party out  
I know you want my body  
Tonight I'll be your naughty girl I'm  
Callin' all my girls  
I see you look me up and down (I love to love you baby)  
And I came to party_

The hand off to Emily's solo was just as easily and naturally done, as the youngest of the Bellas headed to her spot at center stage and took the reins from Stacie.

_Ooo Boy you lookin' like you like what you see  
Won't you come over check up on it, I might let you work up on it  
Ladies let em check up on it, watch he while he check up on it  
Dip it, pop it, twerk it, stop it, check on me tonight_

The Bellas start mixing the melodies of "Soldier" with "Ring the Alarm" as they transition into the next song, with Cynthia Rose's solo.

_Tell me how should I feel, when I know what I know  
And my female intuition, telling me you a dog?  
People told me 'bout the flames, I couldn't see through the smoke  
When I need answers, accusations, what you mean you gon' choke? (Oh)  
You can't stay, you gotta go (oh)  
Ain't no other chick spendin' yo' dough  
This is taking a toll, the way the story unfolds  
Not the picture-perfect movie everyone would have saw_

The Bellas may not be over the top when it comes to theatricality but Chloe felt a Beca Mitchell-esque smirk form on her lips as she watched Cynthia Rose completely own her solo, really getting into her performance. Beca, Amy, Stacie, and Flo join her in for the chorus while the rest of the Bellas back them up.

_She gon' be rockin' chinchilla coats (if I let you go, no)  
Get in the house off the coast (if I let you go, no)  
She gon' take everything I own (if I let you go, no)  
I can't let you go (oh), damned if I let you go (no)_

_She gon' rock them VVS stones (if I let you go, no)  
Couped in the 'Bach or the Rolls (if I let you go, no)  
She gon' profit everything I taught (if I let you go, no)  
I can't let you go (oh), damned if I let you go (no)_

Emily then jumped in, ruffling her hair a little as she channeled her inner Beyoncé while briefly taking over.

_Ring the alarm  
I been through this too long  
But I'll be damned if I see another chick on your arm  
Don't you ring the alarm  
I been through this too long  
But I'll be damned if I see another chick on your arm_

Before they oh so naturally transition into "Beautiful Liar" with Stacie and Aubrey leading the charge with their duet. The Bellas showed no signs of slowing down either, incorporating a bit of belly dancing moves into their choreography as they kept up with the energy demands of their performance while making both Beyoncé and Shakira proud.

_Let's not kill the karma  
(Ay) Let's not start a fight  
(Ay) It's not worth the drama  
For a beautiful liar  
(Oh) Can't we laugh about it?  
(Oh) It's not worth our time  
(Oh) We can live without him  
Just a beautiful liar_

Flo then jumped in once again, as the Bellas moved from segment to segment oh so naturally, as if they were singing one incredibly lengthy song with no problems at all. Chloe smiled as she saw the audience also seemingly getting into the groove of their magical beats.

_Get me bodied,  
I wanna be myself tonight,  
Can you get me bodied,  
I wanna be myself tonight,  
Wanna move my body,  
I wanna let it out tonight,  
Gonna party, gonna dance, gonna be myself tonight,  
Hey!_

Jessica once again took the lead while the rest of the Bellas carried the harmony. The girls all pointed to the left and naturally adjusted their performance as they settled into a less energy-consuming step sequence.

_To the left, to the left  
To the left, to the left  
To the left, to the left  
Everything you own in the box to the left  
In the closet that's my stuff, yes  
If I bought it please don't touch_

Ashley then took over while Jessica resumed her usual duties.

_You must not know 'bout me  
You must not know 'bout me  
I could have another you in a minute  
Matter fact he'll be here in a minute, baby_

The Bellas pulled off yet another melodious mix of beats as they transitioned into their next song. Beca took charge strutting down the stage and commanding everyone's attention.

_Mission one,  
Ima put this on  
When he see me in this dress I'ma get me some_

Stacie sauntered over to where she stood, bringing in her full confidence as the two of them shared a duet.

_Mission two,  
Gotta make that call  
Tell 'em get the bottles poppin when they play my song_

Before Amy marched on over and joined the two.

_Mission three  
Got my three best friends  
Like we do it all the time we gon do it again_

Finally it was Chloe who joined them to complete their brief quartet performance. Lilly slowed down the beats halfway through.

_Mission four  
Drop the vintage Rolls  
Drop a couple hundreds, tell 'em leave it at the door_

Chloe, Amy, and Stacie fell back as Lilly kept the slowed down beats as Beca took charge, bringing in a confidence that was at least twice her size for the brief solo. Amy and Stacie kept backing her up while rest of the Bellas never stopped performing with their sharp movements and fancy footwork for their choreography in this segment.

_Partner, let me, upgrade ya' (let me upgrade ya')  
Let me, let me, let me, upgrade ya' (let me upgrade ya')  
Time to let me upgrade you_

Before Aubrey smoothly jumped in and took over, the Bellas easily pulling off their transitions.

_If I were a boy  
I think I could understand  
How it feels to love a girl  
I swear I'd be a better_

The Bellas threw in beats from "Single Ladies" as they transitioned into the next song, even throwing in a bit of the well-known choreography of that song as they got into formation for their next segment. Beca threw in ad libs from "Diva" while Emily jumped in with lines from "Ego" before Amy finally took charge with her solo of "Videophone."

_I'm a, I'm a a diva (hey)  
I'm a, I'm a a diva (hey)_

_I got a big ego  
(I'm a, I'm a, a diva)  
Such a huge ego  
(I'm a, I'm a, a diva)_

_You say you like my bag and the color of my nails  
You can see that I got it goin' on (I got a big ego)  
I wanna make sure you remember me  
So Imma leave my number on your video phone_

Lilly then made some remixed disc-scratching beats as the Bellas pulled of a remixed mash-up of melodies sampling from all the previous songs they sang before they landed onto the melody of their next song, with Chloe taking charge, singing her first line following the remixed DJ-like beats produced by Lilly's beats.

_My-my guilty plea-pleasure, I ain't going no-nowhere_

_You could be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare  
Either way I don't wanna wake up from you_

The Bellas then did the same kind of transition, dancing as they moved into their next segment with Stacie, Emily, Flo, and Chloe taking charge of the chorus.

_Can you keep up?  
Make me lose my breath  
Bring the noise  
make me lose my breath  
Hit me hard  
make me lose my (hah hah)  
Can you keep up?_

Thankfully no one was tiring out just yet and losing their breath either, still keeping up with the demands of their performance. Lilly, Jessica, and Ashley then laid down the beats for a brief reprisal of a previously performed song.

_Who run the world? Girls  
Who run the world? Girls  
Who run the world? Girls  
Who run the world? Girls_

The Bellas all looked like they were having fun. Chloe couldn't help herself but keep smiling too. The competition was quickly being forgotten, the Bellas completely getting into the groove of their performance and just making music with each other. Still no misplaces step or tune, though. Because while their performance was rapidly becoming all about the Bellas just being Bellas and singing together, they still wanted to give their best.

The segment ended and Lilly, Jessica, and Ashley easily blended the last song with the next with her beats, allowing Aubrey and Chloe share a duet as they take the lead. The rest of the Bellas blended in a mash-up of beats between "End of Time" and "Best Thing I Never Had" with Cynthia Rose throwing in an ad lib from the latter towards the end.

_I'll be your baby  
Now promise not to let you go  
Love you like crazy_

_I'm the best thing you never had  
(Sucks to be you)_

Lilly made a noise akin to the dropping of a mic and the Bellas pulled off a move as if they were robots being powered down.

_Tss, tss, tss_

Lilly went on. "Bring the beat in," Aubrey commanded and the Bellas once again exploded to life with their choreography and a bit of another reprise of the song that kept them together during their darkest moments apart during the past few years.

_Baby it's you  
You're the one I love  
You're the one I need  
You're the only one I see  
Come on baby it's you  
You're the one that gives your all  
You're the one I can always call  
When I need to make everything stop  
Finally you put my love on_

They smoothly jump into the next song, making a show of counting down with their hands while Beca took the lead, and the Bellas providing a chorused back up with the numbers.

_Ten  
We dressing to the (nine)  
He pick me up we (eight)  
Make me feel so lucky (seven)  
He kiss me in his (six)  
We be making love in (five)  
Still the one I do this (four)  
I'm trying to make us (three)  
From that (two)  
Still the_

_Whoa-oah_

They were nearing the end now. Not a single one of the Bellas were showing any signs of stopping or tiring down. The light smiles on their lips as they sang told Chloe all she needed to know. If they make this go on forever, they would never stop at all. That's what's kept them going, delivering nothing less than perfect on all counts. Because they knew the performance would have to end some time, and they wanted to make every moment they spend together on stage count.

The pulled another smooth transition as Emily took the charge. She sang the last line with Halo's harmony as the Bellas got into their final places.

_They love the way I walk (ooh)  
'Cause I walk with a vengeance (o-ooh)  
And they listen to me when I talk 'cause I ain't pretending (ooh)  
It took a while, now I understand just where I'm goin' (o-ooh)  
I know the world and I know who I am, It's 'bout time I show it (time I show it)_

Lilly mimicked the sound of a beating heart as they slowed down the melody and seamlessly transitioned into the next song. Beca was standing in the middle of all the Bellas at center stage as she sang her solo, Chloe singing parts of "I Was Here" while the Bellas provided back up in the form of the mashed-up melodies of the two songs.

_Hit me like a ray of sun  
Burnin' through my darkest night  
You're the only one that I want  
Think I'm addicted to your light (addicted to your light)_

_I was here  
(Halo, I can see your halo)  
I lived, I loved  
(Halo)  
I was here_

_Halo_

Beca and Chloe both sing the last line before their duet completely takes over the last part of their medley.

_You're everything I need and more  
It's written all over your face  
Baby, I can feel your halo  
I know it won't fade away_

The beats die down, and Chloe's eyes were on Beca's, the two of them having the biggest smiles on their faces. The crowd got up their feet and met the Bellas with their cheers and applause just as Amy started pulling the two of them into a hug, and the rest of the girls jumping in for the group hug.

The Bellas sang their hearts out, delivering a performance worthy to be their _magnum opus_.

It was all up to the judges now, although Chloe couldn't help but shake the feeling that no matter what happens, she's already won.

She's got her Bellas after all.

And as her eyes land on Beca once more, she couldn't help but give a goofy smile.

She knew, from the way that Beca looked at her, that she's got her too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was also a marathon to write… Anyways, I've got a few adulting things to do but I'll try to get everything done by Monday for the next update. If I don't upload Monday, I'll either upload twice on Tuesday or Thursday. Either way, the next upload days will be MTuTh.
> 
> For the mega-mix and Pentatonix acapella medley that inspired this, check the link for the playlist below
> 
> www dot youtube dot com slash playlist?list=PLEbWZQ6nwYXxFjX9z3vft3leEz7dN9K_5
> 
> Now onto more pressing things…
> 
> Gee, wonder who will win? I feel like it might be DSM, what do you guys think? Or did either the Voicenotes or Rhythmashers brought enough sex-appeal to their performance? Personally, I think Vocal-sity ran out of steam (and breath) too early in their performance so I don't they'll be in the running.
> 
> Oh, and yeah, there's also the Bellas… almost forgot about them for a sec…
> 
> The next chapter is gonna be sooo fun with interactions galore.
> 
> We get the after-party, folks, and a few announcements.


	28. One Last Remix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the winners are...
> 
> It's the official after-party of the special iteration of the Worlds. The Bellas all mingle with the guests, give interviews, dream about what comes next, plan another Bechloe operation, and conspire against stopping DSM once and for all?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to go up Tuesday but 1) Juventus broke my heart (if you watch UCL, you know why) and 2) I had to do some adulting (mostly figuring out scheduling my vaccine appointment because, you know, distribution isn't perfect plus scheduling apps are faulty but my group is finally being vaccinated).
> 
> Anyways, here's the conclusion to the World's contest ft. the official party of the event, the return of the teams eliminated during the riff-offs (?), and brief POVs of the Bellas (with Bechloe's POV being longer than the rest).

The stage lights dimmed, all of the groups were called. Amy could feel her heart pounding against her chest. The event organizers didn't have to go this hard to make the announcement so dramatic.

Vocal-sity and Rhythmashers were asked to step forward, only to be told that neither of them won the contest.

That's got to suck.

_Oh well,_ Amy thought. Both teams look disappointed but they still accepted defeat as graciously as they could. They were both escorted off the stage. Spotlights were cast upon DSM, the Bellas, and the Voicenotes.

Silence filled the air. Members of Pentatonix took turns saying a word or two, forming a sentence to say that the next team to be called also failed to win, pausing for a few seconds or so in between each word or phrase uttered. The whole suspense-thing was getting an Amy's nerves.

The Voicenotes were called. Similar to the other groups, they took defeat as graciously as they could and tried to congratulate both DSM and the Bellas, offering them a handshake. DSM refused, but the Bellas accepted. Amy even went the extra smile for a tight hug for each rather athletic member. It helped her calm down a little.

Silence.

Then a beat. Someone started playing the tracks for a loud heart beating through the speakers as Pentatonix went about their slow, suspenseful manner of speaking as. "And the winner," Kevin said, followed by a ten second pause.

"Of the special seventy-fifth anniversary," Matt added before another ten second pause.

"Of the World Acapella Championship," Kristin followed up before another ten second pause.

"And the special prize of twenty-five million dollars," Mitch said before – surprise, surprise – another ten second pause.

"Is," Scott went on to say. Followed by another ten second pause.

Except it didn't last ten seconds at all. The heartbeat track playing through the speakers started to beat faster and louder, and the seconds that passed them was about to turn into a full minute. Amy was so close to pitch-slapping every single member of Pentatonix. The madness had to end.

It wasn't the name of the team that won that registered to Amy after Pentatonix chorused to announce the winner. The world started to spin while the Bellas processed the truth of the moment, all exchanging looks with each other in stunned silence. The one thing that Amy remembered hearing in that moment was the loud scream from the Kommissar, and the frozen look of shock on DSM's usually smug faces. If anything, it definitely added to the euphoric feeling that Amy was already feeling.

Because of course the Bellas won. Was there really ever any doubt?

* * *

Aubrey's head was still spinning. The Bellas were all at the official after-party of the World's contest, held at the same ballroom that Amy held her wedding reception nearly a year ago. She remembered the Bellas breaking into screams of joy on stage, jumping with excitement as they all pulled each other into a group hug before they were awarded the trophy, one that they let Aubrey raise, and one that they all decided to donate to Barden, Beca suggesting they university dedicate a special hall to commemorate all the Bellas have achieved in exchange the good press their acapella team had brought the university over their many years of being the Bellas. That way, the Bellas could always visit the trophy, and make plans on seeing each other more frequently during said visits.

After being ushered off the stage, the event organizers met the Bellas and congratulated them, informing them of how their cash prize was going to be deposited into their accounts. Amy had voiced out her decision of throwing her share with the rests while Beca provided the information of the charities she planned on donating the money to. They were also told about how NBC had planned to do an interview with the winners during their morning programming. They coordinated the details with the Bellas before inviting them to perform next year, during the finals.

Before Aubrey knew it, they were transported to the hotel, and mingling with all the VIP guests, their friends, family, and co-competitors, including those eliminated during the riff-offs. In fact, they seemed to have a special role during the celebrations, the eliminated teams providing entertainment with acapella renditions of popular songs.

_Take off all my make-up  
'Cause I love what's under it  
Rub off all your words, don't give a uh, I'm over it  
Jiggle all this weight, yeah  
You know I love all of this  
Finally love me naked, sexiest when I'm confident_

Aubrey smiled as she felt Stacie wrap her hands around her waist, resting her chin on her shoulders as she approached Aubrey from behind. "What are you thinking about?" Stacie asked, both of them keeping their eyes on Aural Addiction as they performed.

"Nothing much," Aubrey replied. "Just that I don't think I could get any happier than now," she admitted. She's found all that she's ever wanted and more, and with what they won, she and Stacie could start planning on their future together – a house in the suburbs, set aside funds for Bellas future, maybe plan more kids in the coming years and get married.

"I think I can make you happier later," Stacie whispered and Aubrey laughed.

They certainly all have gone a long way, and she was happy to find that where they all ended up was still with each other, where they all belonged.

* * *

Lilly stood with Jessica and Ashley by the bar as they got their drinks refilled. Her eyes scanned the crowded room, looking for her friends. Beca was up and about, talking to a few people in the industry with Theo by her side, taking this opportunity to get some business done. Rhian and her assistants meanwhile circled around some of the Bellas, with members of the press wanting to do quick interviews with the ladies. Beca had pulled her into making sure her friends could handle the "sharks" especially once they really started drinking. The only ones who can take the Bellas down were themselves, and Beca wanted to take a proactive approach to things.

"I guess they're not as creepy as they can be when singing something like a ballade," Jessica noted, nodding over to Gregor Chants who were currently performing.

_My last night here for you  
Same old songs, just once more  
My last night here with you?  
Maybe yes, maybe no  
I kind of liked it your way  
How you shyly placed your eyes on me  
Oh, did you ever know?  
That I had mine on you_

"I didn't think they were that creepy the last time," Lilly replied.

"I think haunting may be the more appropriate term," Ashley said, before nudging Jessica and pointing over where Chloe, who was with Emily and Flo, stood before pointing over where Beca was currently talking business with Jordan Fisher. The two kept sneaking glances off each other. The tension between them could felt from across the room.

"Alright, so should we try to make magic happen tonight?" Ashley proposed.

"We have an early thing tomorrow though," Jessica reminded.

Lilly shrugged. "But the night's still young. Should we start gathering the cavalry?"

"I thought you'd never ask, Lilly," Amy then said, rubbing her palms together as she joined them. A mischievous glint sparkling in her eyes.

This was going to be a long night indeed.

* * *

Flo was really feeling the Overtone's rendition of the Maroon 5 song they chose to perform. Both their female and male lead singers shared a duet, singing their respective parts, while the other four members of the group backed them.

_'Cause girls like you run 'round with guys like me ('Cause guys like you run 'round with girls like me)  
'Til sun down when I come through  
I need a girl like you, yeah yeah (I need a guy like you, yeah yeah)  
Girls like you love fun and, yeah, me too (Guys like you love fun and, yeah, me too)  
What I want when I come through  
I need a girl like you, yeah yeah (I need a guy like you, yeah yeah)_

Flo felt like she was still floating on cloud nine. It hadn't really sunk in that they won just yet. Sure, she wanted the Bellas to win, and she believed she could. They've done it before after all. But the competition was tough, they were all a little rusty at first too. She didn't want to assume or be overconfident.

On top of that, she was still processing all the hype was getting. Beca introduced her to a few celebs who checked out her juice franchise and would very much like to work endorsement deals with her. She didn't even think about using this moment as a business opportunity.

"So what's the plan for the after-after party? Can I invite Benji?" Emily asked Chloe and Flo, pulling her out of her private thoughts.

"Oh, Bree and Stace have it handled," Chloe replied absentmindedly as she snuck another glance off Beca before smiling a little. "And no, Legacy. Your boyfriend is here, you can mingle with him now."

"I think he's too busy teaching Gus a magic trick somewhere," Emily replied.

That was when Rhian joined them, just a few seconds before they saw another pair from the press approach the three of them. She's been coming to their rescue all night, mostly just stepping in when the interviewers tried to fish for personal information on the ladies or whenever someone – usually Amy – very nearly said something embarrassing or flagged by Rhian and her assistants as TMI.

Flo welcomed the assist and simply tried to enjoy living in the moment.

* * *

Jessica, Ashley, Lilly, and Amy all slowly gathered the Bellas. By the time that To the Clef's performance was nearing an end, they have managed to pull Cynthia Rose, Stacie, and Aubrey to join them. Emily, Flo, and Chloe were currently being interviewed, with Rhian by their side. They didn't want to arouse Chloe's suspicion, so they let them be for now. Meanwhile, Beca was mingling with the celebs around the room, once again having a chat with Taylor Swift, with Theo right behind her.

_Like I really want you, I think I need you  
Baby, I miss you, I'm thinking of you_

_And maybe it's true, oh, I'm caught up on you  
Maybe there's a chance that you're stuck on me too  
So maybe I'm wrong, it's all in my head  
Maybe we're afraid of words we both hadn't said_

"Okay, but what exactly do you all have in mind?" Cynthia Rose asked. "I know we all thrive for impromptu shenanigans, but this one needs to be fool-proof, Beca-proof, Chloe-proof, and clumsy-Legacy-proof."

Unfortunately, none of the Bellas were able to respond to Cynthia Rose's question, Beyoncé stepping up to them with Jay-Z to congratulate them for their amazing performance.

Jessica had to stop her jaw from dropping, while Ashley did her best to support her in case she actually fainted this time.

She was indeed in heaven.

* * *

Chloe pretty much let Emily and Flo take care of answering the question their current interviewer was asking. Her eyes kept flickering to where Beca was, following her movements around the room. She could feel the fluttering beating of her heart against her chest, with the Bellas winning their competition, all that was left unresolved was the lingering promise of a talk with Beca. The question of what their decision would be, moving forward.

She too her eyes for a second as their current interviewer excused themselves. Rhian asked if Emily could come along with her. Legacy was confused but she said something about Beca needing to have a moment with her to discuss a few things, so Emily nevertheless followed her. Chloe looked around the hall once more, her eyes landing on where her friends were currently fawning over Beyoncé. Flo encouraged Chloe to join them, excited to be part of the conversation the Bellas were having with one of their idols. Behind them, Final Frequency was wrapping up their song number.

_Sometimes I wonder when you sleep  
Are you ever dreaming of me?_

Before Chloe followed Flo, she scanned the room for Beca once again, only to feel two hands cover her eyes from behind.

"Beca?" Chloe asked, genuinely confused.

_Sometimes when I look into your eyes  
I pretend you're mine, all the damn time  
'Cause I like you_

The covers were removed, and Chloe turned around to find Beca chuckling behind her. "I'm impressed, Chlo."

"Well, you're the only one who would dare, considering the Bellas are all over there," she said, pointing to where they were currently gathered, thankfully not embarrassing themselves around the Queen B, herself.

"Right," Beca replied. "Listen, Chlo, I've got a few things I need to sort through and finalize," she started to say as Chloe nodded along."

_Is it cool that I said all that?  
Is it chill that you're in my head?  
'Cause I know that it's delicate (delicate)_

"Can't stop working?" Chloe asked.

"I'm getting things done now so that I don't have to later, during the Bellas private celebration," Beca replied. "Besides, the people I need to talk to are already here, so," she added with a shrug. But I was wondering if we could excuse ourselves later. If, you know, we could talk?"

Chloe laughed. "You move fast, Mitchell," she commented. "Considering we were moving at a painfully glacial pace of being oblivious. I mean, this is about what's under the pin, right?"

_(Yeah, I want you)  
Is it cool that I said all that  
Is it too soon to do this yet?  
'Cause I know that it's delicate_

Beca nodded. "No rush, Chlo, we can keep talking and taking our time in figure things out, I just… there's something I wanted you to be the first to hear. There's a lot of things I'm planning to do and the news is about to break, and I just, I want to lay all my cards on the table so you know. My plans, everything. You know? Before we get pulled with all the craziness and before I get busy with work again."

Chloe nodded and smiled. "Sure, we'll sneak off later."

"Perfect," Beca replied with a self-satisfied smirk before excusing herself, saying she needed to look for Theo, Rhian, and Emily.

_Isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it?  
Isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it?_

Chloe watched Beca walk away. That fluttering feeling in her chest spreading all over her body. It was a long and thrilling day, and Chloe was definitely still feeling the high from their victory. It should be illegal, the way she felt so happy right then. The future was filled with promises and uncertainties, but she won't let that get in the way of embracing the way she felt right then.

_Delicate_

The happiness that came with dreams all coming true.

* * *

The Bellas all needed a moment after their chat with Beyoncé ended. Stacie certainly knew she did. The day's been a complete rollercoaster ride, but she couldn't really complain. For now, Stacie simply enjoyed the moment, including Aural Addiction's second number of the night.

_I made a few mistakes, I regret it nightly  
I broke a couple hearts that I wear on my sleeve  
My mama always said, girl, you're trouble  
And now I wonder, could you fall for a woman like me_

"Where were we again?" Ashley asked.

"Oh, operation Bechloe number… uh… I forgot what number we're on…" Lilly admitted.

"Oh, shouldn't we pull Legacy into this?" Flo asked.

"I honestly think it's better Legacy is not involved in anything," Cynthia Rose replied. "But, uh, let's table this later, I see Red coming over."

"Actually, let's split up," Stacie remarked, noticing DSM gathering at one end of the hall, the Kommissar pointing at Beca, the Bellas, and Chloe in the group. They might be up to something. Perhaps stir some trouble. "Bree, CR, Ames, you come with me. The rest of you, distract Chloe."

_And every time we touch, oh, you make me feel weak  
I can tell you're shy and I think you're so sweet  
Spending every night under covers and  
Still I wonder, could you fall for a woman like me (A woman)_

The Bellas all agreed.

Operation Bechloe would have to wait.

They had to beat DSM in whatever game they were playing at before they successfully pull it off.

* * *

The plan was simple. Mostly because the Bellas couldn't predict what DSM would do. Luisa seemed to have her eyes set on Beca, probably to embarrass her. She had her best goons target Chloe, probably because they had fully functioning eyes and noticed the special bond between the two. Aubrey recruited some of their other competitors, with members of the Voicenotes, and Rhythmashers, slyly tripping over some of DSM members, some spilling whatever they were drinking on them.

Gregor Chants once again took to the stage, most of the guests surprisingly enjoying their rendition of a beloved song from a musical. Some guests even singing along.

_What if we rewrite the stars?  
Say you were made to be mine  
Nothing could keep us apart  
You'd be the one I was meant to find  
It's up to you, and it's up to me  
No one can say what we get to be  
So why don't we rewrite the stars?  
Maybe the world could be ours  
Tonight_

They took this opportunity to take the trash out, as Beca would have put it.

Amy pulled Bumper along, taunting Adonis and Pieter with insults along with some of the visiting Trebles. Even Jesse was playing along. They knocked out a tray of hors d'oeuvres' onto them, Bumper splashing his glass of champagne onto Pieter's pants to get them out of the picture. They soon followed them to the bathroom. It wouldn't be until later on that evening that Cynthia Rose will find out that the Trebles locked them in the bathroom.

As for the rest of DSM, Cynthia Rose knew without a doubt that her friends had them handled well. Even the German valkyrie.

* * *

Emily's head was swirling with all the names she had to learn and people that she had to meet in a span of a few minutes. She finally had a break from meeting some new faces, some old – from Beca's time at Residual Heat – as she settled down at a corner of the hall somewhere to talk with Theo, Rhian, and Beca. The Overtones once again took to the stage. It would seem like Maroon 5 was the source of their inspiration for the evening, based on the song they were now singing.

_All my hidden desires  
Finally came alive  
No, I never told a lie  
To you so why would I  
Start tonight_

"Ems, are you listening?" Beca asked with chuckle.

"Huh, what?"

"Good grief, she didn't hear a thing that we said," Theo remarked.

"Here I was expecting a shriek of excitement or something," Rhian commented.

"What? Why? What's happening?"

Beca laughed. "Ems, I'm offering you a job," Beca explained, repeating the details she said earlier.

Emily looked at her with a stunned expression on her face. "Wait," she said. "Wait, wait, wait, a job?"

Beca nodded. "We'll set an official meeting, maybe next week, yeah? To finalize the details. But I need someone like you to work with some of pretty talented people."

"Can't I know who right now?"

"No," Beca, Theo, and Rhian chorused. "You can't keep a secret."

"I so can. I kept the song we worked on a secret."

"Because you signed an NDA," Rhian pointed out. "You were legally required to do that."

Emily huffed and was thoughtful for a minute, trying to figure out the reason for the secrecy.

_It was always you  
Can't believe I could not see it all this time, all this time  
It was always you  
Now I know why my heart wasn't satisfied, satisfied  
It was always you, you  
No more guessing who  
Looking back now I know it was always you, always_

"Look, Emily, I don't have the documents with me, so we can't share with you certain things just yet," Theo then said.

"All in due time, Ems. Besides, you haven't even said yes to the offer just yet. I wanted to tell you know so you can have the time to think about it. If a week's not enough we can give you some extra time to consider," Beca explained.

"Beca," Emily replied. "Of course the answer is yes," she replied with the biggest grin.

She was still a bit unsure what exactly Beca had in mind for her to do, or what the job entails, but she loved working with Beca on her song the last few months. Emily thought she lost touch with the music inside of her. She was glad to be proven wrong.

Things were definitely looking up from where she was a year ago.

* * *

Flo and Lilly kept Chloe distracted while Jessica and Ashley kept an eye on DSM and their friends' efforts to thwart whatever evil scheme they were plotting. Ashley kept close to where Flo, Lilly, and Chlo stood by the bar. Jessica, on the other hand, excused herself to get a closer look of the "action" and texted Ashley with updates.

Meanwhile, Stacie and Cynthia Rose dealt with the creepy twins and Lolita girl. Blocking their way, and mostly just baiting them to make a scene. It didn't take long, and one of the organizers of the after-party threw them out.

Chloe was swaying to the music of To the Clef's second number when Ashley got the full update from Jessica about how they beat Luisa.

_And if she wants to  
We can hold each other's hands just that slow  
Oh, she can hit it to the ground and drop it low  
I've been waiting all week to get to know  
Oh, just how to make a move, I  
I just wanna feel your touch  
I never wanna give it up  
You can never give me way too much  
While I'm by your side_

Apparently, Aubrey dealt with the Kommissar herself, and she did so quite splendidly.

The DSM she-wolf was marching over to where Beca, Rhian, Theo, Emily, and a few people Cynthia Rose didn't recognize. Aubrey set the trap quite perfectly, pretending to run into one of the press members who had ran her own acapella podcast. The two chatted, Aubrey asking if she wanted to a have a moment with Beca. Considering she was hard to get a hold of with all the press and celebs wanting a moment of her time, a small time podcaster invited to cover the event would have a harder time to get her attention. She timed her walk to make sure she and Kommissar would run into each other before she tripped her. With Luisa's sole focus on Beca, she hadn't noticed Aubrey, nor the cart server carrying multiple glasses of champagne. The tray flew over and the drinks all spilled onto the DSM member.

"Careful, Kommissar," Aubrey commented before turning her attention to the podcaster. "She's one of Beca's biggest fans. Can't help but make a fool of herself every time she tried to get her attention."

The comment incensed the proud leader of DSM. Enough to get a rise out of her. And enough for the organizer to also see her out. With that, it was mission accomplished. All done in a manner that was simple but effective.

Ashley smiled. The Bellas just couldn't stop winning.

* * *

After a successful talk with Emily, Beca was back at it again with mingling with the crowd. This time, Rhian had joined him and Theo, Beca finally entertaining talking with the press.

_How did I live in a kingdom of thieves  
And people who say things they don't really mean, really mean_

Final Frequency was currently performing, and she and Theo had already talked about maybe considering the group for a project. The kids were pretty talented, and she wanted to do something simple with them. Nothing too big just yet, they were still young and Beca didn't want them exploited by the world she now belonged to. But maybe work with them on something that could help build themselves up at least.

_You're only everything I ever dreamed  
Ever dreamed of, ever dreamed of  
You must be kidding me, did you really think  
I could say no_

"Beca," Rhian nudged her, repeating the question of someone from a magazine somewhere – Beca wasn't really paying attention. She would honestly rather just spend the evening with the Bellas – and they will, later on – but with everything going on behind the scenes regarding her future and her work, Beca had no choice. Besides, she'd rather get them down now to make sure there will be no interruptions for the rest of her evening. She's had enough of those.

Beca cleared her throat and crafted her response. She was asked about how she felt performing with the Bellas again and winning. Beca didn't need to think hard about what to say. "The Bellas are my family," she said truthfully. "I don't think I'd be here now if we didn't find each other. I got to be who I am today because of them."

Someone else from the press gathered around her asked her a question about her album, current tour plans, and when the next song would be released, what with the first one already being a certified hit. Beca repeated one of her rehearsed responses. Before being asked about the inspiration of the song.

Beca simply shrugged, her eyes briefly finding Chloe from across the room, before turning her attention back to the person who asked the question. "I think it's safe to say that we've all been in love before. That song's for everyone who's ever been in love, and was inspired by the people around me who aren't afraid of reveling in the love they feel."

_I really don't get what everyone else believes  
So why do I say things I don't really mean, really mean  
I'm only crying 'cause I never dreamed  
It'd take this long, it'd take this long_

"That's uh, a really beautiful answer," a different interviewer said. Beca thinks she's met her before from a different event. "But I think the real question is, what's next for Beca Mitchell?"

Beca stole another glance from Chloe and smiled.

_I want you for a lifetime  
So if you're gonna think twice, baby  
I don't wanna know, baby, I don't wanna know  
Everything is just right  
But if you're gonna think twice, baby  
I don't wanna know, baby, I don't wanna know_

"Well?" the interviewer pressed on.

Beca turned to glance at Rhian, and then Theo, before responding. "Good things, great things. But I'm afraid I can't talk much about it yet. I'm sure you'll hear things soon enough," she replied with a light smile.

She was nervous, she was scared, and she was excited all at the same time. But Beca's never felt lighter than she did in that moment.

For the first time in her life, she felt like she finally had everything she wanted and more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double upload on Thursday… maybe… if I can't finish the chapter then the last one will be on Friday but you'll get an upload on Thursday for sure! Just been a bit busy. Still related to adulting…
> 
> The songs in this chapter have been added in the playlist (link below). They are as follows: Strip and Woman Like Me (by Little Mix ft. Sharaya J and Nicki Manaj, respectively); Eyes on Me (from Final Fantasy 8, I added the cover of the song I listened to but the original is by Faye Wong); Girls Like You and It Was Always You (by Maroon 5); Maybe (Jay Sean); Delicate (by Taylor Swift); Rewrite the Stars (from The Greatest Showman, by Anne-Marie and James Arthur); Touch (by Shift K3y); Don't Think Twice (by Hikaru Utada, from Kingdom Hearts 3).
> 
> www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbWZQ6nwYXxFjX9z3vft3leEz7dN9K_5
> 
> PS: The title of the next chapter is the title of one of the songs in this one :D Why? There's a reason… you'll love it… hopefully…
> 
> PPS: If you correctly guess (on your first try) what the chapter title is, I'll give you a prize. You name it, you got it… but like, something currently doable though :P


End file.
